Phone Booth

Joel Schumacher is truly a unique person, he can make crap like Batman & Robin, but he can also make gems like Falling Down or 8mm. This project, Phone Booth, is considered the pinnacle of his filmography because it has everything a film in this genre should have: a great main hero, a devilish villain, captivating atmosphere, excellent camera work, and solid music. That's why it is one of the best thrillers of the year. (26/10/2003)

By the end of the film, the script didn't seem to know which way to go, so all of a sudden something happened that could have happened at any time, and it was so rushed and just weird that it kind of ruined Phone Booth for me. However, the previous hour was good and I certainly wouldn't want my bad conscience to have the voice of a giggling Kiefer Sutherland. (05/07/2016)

Yeah, when the phone rings in the booth nearby again, I can't even imagine going to pick it up... or can I? Joel Schumacher's film meets all the criteria of an "intelligent" thriller. Minimalist design, great acting (especially the rebirth of narcissist Farella is a delicacy!), interesting work with images (the twisting of shots increases the tension and gradient), decent music and especially a solidly written screenplay which, with a minimum of resources, escalates the absurdity and horror of the situation in which the hostage of the voice on the phone finds himself. I could probably do without tacky and theatrical ending. All in all, it's not a movie that I get overly excited about, but I certainly recommend watching it on movie night for sure... (03/07/2004)

How much does each of us hide? How much do we pretend in front of others and what will we do when we are exposed? What if his threats are not empty and the revealed secret won't be the end of it? How quickly are we able to reassess our highest priorities when it comes to life, not just for ourselves, but also for those closest to us? Maybe I shouldn't have taken that pizza after all... Colin Farrell's perfect performance and the brilliant voice acting of the sniper in a film, which at the time had absolutely no competition. Even many subsequent screenings cannot change the fact that Schumacher and Cohen then surpassed themselves forever. (22/12/2005)

Phone Booth remains effective even after years, even though the actual phone booth might seem like an outdated relic found only in museums nowadays. This is also a beautiful example of how times evolve. But it's somewhat irrelevant because even in another 13 years, this will still be a compelling and claustrophobic drama that will have the same positive effect on the viewer. Joel Schumacher has really done well here. (21/04/2015)