film: review

> PHONE BOOTH (2003)
A well-done, fun thriller!

By John C. Lyons
Film Critic

Starring: Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes

Directed by: Joel Schumacher

Written by: Larry Cohen (I)

Genre: Thriller

Our Rating: 9/10

The whole premise for the movie is about as basic as they get: a man is trapped in a phone booth in downtown NYC, his life completely in the hands of an unseen sniper. The pacing of the film is just perfect, and, at a quick 80 minutes, it doesn't drag at any point throughout. Phone Booth is actually based on a NY film student's short End of the Line which obviously must have been well-done itself to get the big Hollywood treatment. This film also marks the return of director Joel Schumacher and should solidify Colin Farrell's career as one of Hollywood's brightest new stars.

Stu (Farrell) is a small-time publicist who talks like the best in the biz. The movie opens with him leading two different publications on through quick-witted lies at a breakneck pace as he tries to get one of his clients exposure. It's pretty clear from the start that Stu is good at what he does as he pulls it off and dupes both magazines into running stories on his client. As he leaves his trainee with false hopes of making it big, he steps into a phone booth and there he stays for nearly the entirety of the movie. Don't let that worry you though, the time flies and you never run into anything unbelievable or boring here.

Colin Farrell makes this movie what it is. He wasn't the first choice for the role (Schumacher eyed Will Smith, and, of all people, Jim Carrey at first) but he showcases his talents better than in anything he has done up to this point. The dialogue between Stu, the sniper, and the police is right on and oftentimes hilarious (definitely a big boost with the serious material). I highly recommend Phone Booth to anyone that can handle a tense, R-rated movie.

(03-0408)

related links:

Phone Booth - official site