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Phone Booth
2003 81 min United States of America R 18+
★7.1
Thriller, Crime
Director: Joel Schumacher
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
A slick New York publicist who picks up a ringing receiver in a phone booth is told that if he hangs up, he'll be killed... and the little red light from a laser rifle sight is proof that the caller isn't kidding.
Budget:
$13M
US Gross:
$46.57M
Worldwide:
$97.84M
Starring
Colin Farrell
Actor
Kiefer Sutherland
Actor
Forest Whitaker
Actor
Awards
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2004
— Best Villain
Key opinion
Phone Booth is widely praised as an immersive, high-tension psychological thriller that succeeds through its innovative single-location premise and Colin Farrell's powerful, authentic lead performance. While the film is celebrated for its visceral atmosphere and tight pacing, critics are divided on the logic behind the antagonist's motives and the moral resolution of the protagonist's arc.
| Acting | Colin Farrell provides a raw, nuanced, and physically convincing performance that anchors the film's extreme psychological stakes. | |
| Originality | The highly original, minimalist setting of a single phone booth creates an intense and claustrophobic atmosphere that effectively sustains audience engagement. | |
| Pacing | The swift editing and tight narrative structure maintain a gripping pace that keeps the tension high throughout the confined duration. | |
| Theme | The killer's motivations are divisive; some viewers find them a compelling vehicle for moral exploration, while others dismiss them as nonsensical or lacking clear logic. | |
| Ending | The ending triggers disagreement; some appreciate the thematic focus on repentance and social critique, while others find the resolution facile or narratively banal. |