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Amazon.co.uk Review
Colin Farrell plays slick and obnoxious PR man Stu Shepard who picks up a ringing payphone only to be informed by a mysterious sniper (Keifer Sutherland) that there's a gun pointed directly at him. What Stu initially believes to be a joke turns about to be a vendetta from the sniper who objects to married Stu's philandering ways, and it soon escalates into a prime-time TV siege.
Joel Schumacher's energetic direction--employing some snappy editing and nifty split-screen techniques--helps distract from an uneven and often predictable plot. It's easy for the audience to think of a dozen ways this siege could be averted, but by upping the tension stakes Schumacher still makes it fun to watch.
Colin Farrell gives a compelling central performance, which runs the emotional gamut from anger to fear to anguish and even carries off a cheesy absolution scene. Keifer Sutherland's husky baddie voiceover is not exactly the stuff of nightmares but, like the rest of the film, you could do a lot worse. As a pure popcorn thriller, Phone Booth hits all the right buttons. --Laura Bushell
Special Features
Featurette: The Making of Phone Booth
2.35:1 widescreen (16:9)
Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English for the hearing impaired
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
.,
By
This review is from: Phone Booth [2003] [DVD] (DVD)
I got this film out under duress as someone insisted I have to see it. But I'm glad I did. The notion of a film which 90% focuses on one single very small venue did not appeal, as it is going to be clear early on if the actor on whom the film relies cannot carry it off, and you're left with a choice of the off switch or persevering on a 'have started so I'll finish' basis. Fortunately, I thought Farrell carried it off well. He is never difficult on the eye, and was particularly pleasing in this film, but more importantly he has sufficient range to come through in a role like this, which I thought he did well. His Irish accent slipped through more than once which was a bit distracting, but that was a minor problem. He was supported well by all the other cast members, with the exception of Katie Holmes whose 8 year old's voice grates on me every time. Fortunately her role was small enough not to distract. Keifer Sutherland was suitably menacing as the caller, and although the ending was a little bit predictable, in that there was always going to be a twist and you could see this one marching in from off camera, I enjoyed it very much.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
**** GRIPPING STUFF ****,
By Mr. N. Carnegie (Kirkcaldy, Scotland, UK.) - See all my reviews (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Phone Booth [2003] [DVD] (DVD)
For a couple of years now (since Tigerland) Colin Farrell has been much vaunted as the next big thing but with the exception of his supporting role in Speilberg’s Minority Report, Farrell’s subsequent additions to his CV have hardly enhanced his reputation. Movies such as Hart’s War and The Recruit have left both audiences and critics somewhat underwhelmed, whilst the release of Phone Booth was much delayed due to the real life Washington snipers mindless killing of innocent people. So what of Phone Booth: Is it any good and does Colin Farrell deserve the tag of next big thing? Farrell plays Stu Shepard a slimy, unscrupulous, and very small time, Manhattan PR man with a daily habit of using the same old fashioned phone booth to call a prospective client (Katie Holmes) with whom he is trying to start an affair with. After all he wouldn’t want his wife to see a mobile phone bill listing calls to other women, would he? Enticed into picking up the ringing phone, Stu becomes trapped by an unseen sniper who tells him that he will be killed if he tries to leave the phone booth or puts down the phone. 'What do you want?' demands Stu, 'I want your complete attention' replies the sniper (Kiefer Sutherland) and not only does he get Stu’s complete attention he gets the audiences too as we watch Stu unravel into a pathetic mess pleading for his life over the next seventy minutes. With his cocky charm, good looks and uncanny ability to mimic an American accent, Farrell is perfect for the part, which was at one point reportedly earmarked for Will Smith. The Dublin born actor appears to revel in playing the anti-hero forced into confessing his sins by the psycho sniper playing God in order to achieve some form of redemption. There are good supporting performances too from the likes of Forrest Whittaker (as the cop in charge at the scene) and in particular Kiefer Sutherland as the menacing assassin at the other end of the line. Written by veteran writer/producer/Director Larry Cohen and Directed by Joel Schumacher, responsible for the very lamentable Batman & Robin, Phone Booth is (in my humble opinion) a very exciting and claustrophobic edge of the seat thriller. Cohen’s script and Schumacher’s Direction keep the movie lean and tight, steadily cranking up the tension to new heights right up until the movies conclusion. Cohen’s script is so ingenious in that it takes an old movie premise (the irresistible ringing phone that has to be answered and the anonymous caller) and gives it a new spin. It’s almost hard to believe that this is the same Joel Schumacher responsible for the last two movies of the Batman franchise. Indeed this is very much a return to form for the man that brought us the urban thriller “Falling Down”. Keeping you hooked throughout it’s (by current standards) relatively short running time, it is refreshing to see the old adage that less is sometimes more once again proved true. The only arguable fault with Phone Booth is in its last two minutes, when we are treated to some unnecessary moralising. That apart, this is top-drawer entertainment and the best thriller I’ve seen in a long while. There are certainly much worse ways to spend 81 minutes, so take my advice and give this one a try, I’m sure you wont regret it!!! Four stars ****.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Pointless,
By
This review is from: Phone Booth [2003] [DVD] (DVD)
For a movie set entirely in a phonebooth, this is certainly gripping stuff. It keeps your attention right until the end because the entire time you are wondering why the caller (Kiefer Sutherland) is tormenting the guy, Stu, in the phonebooth (Colin Farrell).
Can it really be just because the caller doesn't like the fact that Stu is being unfaithful to his wife? This is a little far fetched; it's not as if the caller has personally been aggrieved by Stu and is seeking revenge. And how does his morality extend to the murder of 2 completely unconnected people in the process of getting Stu to confess his sins in public? This is the major flaw in the story which leaves you feeling unsatisfied at the end - what was it all about?
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