Phone Booth (2003) Dir: Joel Schumacher
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I had first heard of this film years ago, and had thought it to be an intriguing concept, though I didn't watch it until now. Directed by Joel Schumacher and written by Larry Cohen, this thriller has a unique and immensely interesting premise. It also utilises its very small location very effectively.
The opening scenes play like a typical 90s ad campaign, with a very early 2000s filter on top of it. In all honesty, I found this very irritating. It didn't exactly encourage me. However, once the key scenario of the film's premise got under way, the quality of the film picked up dramatically.
The story is concise and effective. It takes its audience on a thrilling and psychological ride, which is only made better by its unpredictable nature. The ending is, on the whole, pretty satisfying, and certainly works in the confines of the screenplay.
That said, the opening and closing shots feel so out of place, not to mention unnecessary, which was a slight dampener for me. But, that aside, I thought this was a very enjoyable watch.
Colin Farrell stars, and understandably takes up the vast majority of screentime. His accent is superb, you would legitimately not be able to tell he was Irish in real life.
Beyond that, his actual performance is decent, if not spectacular. He elevates the intrigue of his character through his well-shown portrayal of desperation.
Kiefer Sutherland, who is essentially a voice actor for this role, has a slightly up and down time as the film's mysterious antagonist. He very effectively brings a sinister tone to much of his dialogue, but occasionally he loses it and drifts into bizarre.
Forest Whitaker is the main supporting actor, he makes for a surprisingly complex secondary character, and provides some very well delivered lines, especially in the third act.
I'll also give credit to Radha Mitchell, Katie Holmes and Richard T. Jones, whom all provide intriguing folds to the narrative with their supporting roles.
Overall, this is a fun and pretty unique psychological thriller, with some very well plotted moments. Obviously, it is by no means perfect, but for a 90-odd minute film, it's great for those who like a little action and a little suspense.
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