Phone Booth (2002) ***
Though Joel Schumacher died just recently, my reason for watching Phone Booth (2002) stemmed from having recently watched three of Larry Cohen's films. Cohen wrote Phone Booth and it's interesting to think about how the film would have turned out if he had directed it (hint: it would have been very different).
In the hands of Schumacher, it's a fairly straightforward film, albeit one that does utilize some interesting techniques (split screen, multiple formats) to varying degrees of success. The script and pacing are tight and Hitchcockian, the cast is very good, there's palpable tension, and the real-time high-concept nature mostly works.
Phone Booth is an enjoyable slice of escapist cinema but is already a dated film for a few reasons. There are some stereotypes that thankfully don't take up too much screen time, but at this moment in U.S. history, I can't help thinking how differently the action would have played out and the protagonist's fate had they been Black. That film might just be too close to reality.
In the hands of Schumacher, it's a fairly straightforward film, albeit one that does utilize some interesting techniques (split screen, multiple formats) to varying degrees of success. The script and pacing are tight and Hitchcockian, the cast is very good, there's palpable tension, and the real-time high-concept nature mostly works.
Phone Booth is an enjoyable slice of escapist cinema but is already a dated film for a few reasons. There are some stereotypes that thankfully don't take up too much screen time, but at this moment in U.S. history, I can't help thinking how differently the action would have played out and the protagonist's fate had they been Black. That film might just be too close to reality.
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