Phone Booth

Synopsis: Stu Shepard (Colin Farrell) is a dude, and he likes it that way. Each day, Stu performs a quaint little ritual of stopping at a phone booth in the same place to ring one of his clients – a very sweet young actress (Katie Holmes) – just so as his wife won’t detect the calls on his cell phone. Unfortunately for Stu, the booth is bugged and he becomes the target under the microscope of a sniper who has no time for such lying, cheating hustler types.

Director Joel Schumacher is Hollywood A-list and Phone Booth is a well-made film, particularly considering the fact that apart from a one-day shoot in Times Square, most of the film was shot in downtown LA. You would never guess. Tight editing, multiple camera angles made possible by the use of four 35mm cameras at a time create a seamless New York location. Yet, as we all know, well-made doesn’t always mean satisfying. It is the script that lets the rest of the production down.

Writer Larry Cohen came up with the idea thirty years ago. At the time he couldn’t work out the circumstances that would result in the guy becoming a prisoner in the phone booth. He eventually decided to have a sniper threatening to shoot the guy if he didn’t follow instructions. It is not surprising that the set-up came first for this film.

Stu is definitely a shitty guy, however, I wasn’t convinced that he deserved to be humiliated. The treatment Stu is subjected to has a touch of revenge-of-the-nerds. In one line Stu confesses that he is such a liar, he should be made President. I would have liked to see George W. in the phone booth with Michael Moore pointing the gun. Now that would be interesting.

Unfortunately it’s hard to care if Stu lives or dies. This indifference is reflected in the initial reaction to his cries for help from people passing by. The sniper even points out that they probably hope Stu is killed so they can sell their video tape to the TV stations. A cynical town, a cynical act against a cynical man.

Is this what the film is saying? Maybe the sniper stands in for the voice of God/conscience, all knowing, all seeing, a reminder to the viewer that you may think you’re getting away with this or that indiscretion… Or maybe there is nothing to find here other than a mildly entertaining movie

Show detailed review

 

Want something different?