Release Date: April 4, 2003

Rated R for language and some violence

Directed by: Joel Schumacher

Starring: Colin Farrell, Forest Whitaker, Kiefer Sutherland, Katie Holmes, Radha Mitchell, Richard T. Jones, Maile Flanagan

Plot:
In this intense drama, which takes place in and around a single phone booth in New York City, a man who is being watched by a rooftop killer with a sniper rifle must use the phone to save his life or else risk the consequences of leaving the booth.

Review:
When a phone rings, most of us just have that feeling that we must pick it up. We know it may not be for us, but the urge is there and you have to say that evil word..."Hello." Phone Booth shows us and explains that very well. This film shows us that a low budget, one location film can definetely work out. With good acting, good dialogue, and continuous thrills, it can make you leave out of the theatre wanting more.

The film is extremely simplistic and it starts off great, Colin Farell is walking down with a phone in his ear talking to some people who works with. He is a publicist and he gets auditions for actors that want to rise up the ladder. He can find them an agent as well and make them famous or ruin their career as it shows later on in the film.

The phone booth that Farell enters is actually one of the few phone booths left in the world today. Colin and Katie Holmes character Pam are very good friends and seem to have an attraction towards one another. Colin is a very wealthy man in this film and he is living the large life indeed.

Farell just wants to make a simple phone call in the phone booth, but of course there are weird and sick people in the world. The phone rings again and its not "Whats your favorite scary movie," its not "Seven Days," its "Hello Clarese". No, its not that either. It's a man that wants to mess with his mind and will kill him if he gets out of the booth.

A film like this is truly hard to make. Even with one location this film pulled out all the stops and it had thrills in every corner. Phone Booth shows the side of Joel Schumacher that audiences don't really know and that is that he is a good filmmaker.

Get off the phone and give me my damn money.

Director Joel Schumacher was slightly disliked when he took over Batman after Tim Burton made Batman and Batman Returns. However, it has been years since that has occurred and all must be forgived. He has gotten back on track and delivers the intensity that Phone Booth called for to keep the audience glued to the screen.

Joel Schumacher has done good films before and after his Batman films, but that is overlooked by many people because of the tragedy he caused with the dark knight. He delivers with Phone Booth though and that is what matters here.

And I'd like to say, the only thing that hurts the film Phone Booth is multiple viewings. When movies come out on dvd, you buy them to watch them over and over and for your collection. As for Phone Booth, since it is a one location film and it is just mainly continuously back and forth on the phone, this isn't such a film to watch again and again, but it is a great film.

Its almost hard to think back how exactly the film worked out. Its hard to see how a film so simple and filmed in only ten days can be so solidly well done. Basically, if it wasn't for the solid filmmaking and strong screenplay, Phone Booth may not have been so intense. It delivers for its short running time and the audience will eat this film up.

With Phone Booth, Joel Schumacher has made a fun film that can almost shock you at times. Colin Farell was the perfect lead actor for this movie and its the best performance I have seen Farell give. Phone Booth is a rollercoaster ride that you'll never want to get off of.

Phone Booth

Rating: