Phone Booth

After a very bizarre opening sequence, this film settles down to it’s main stage, which is a street in New York, and a guy in a phone booth. Shown in real-time, this follows a conversation between a smarmy PR guy (Stu – Colin Farrell) and the nutter on the phone that’s got a high power telescopic silenced rifle trained on him from an overlooking window. The basic premise is that the sniper feels he is doling out justice to those who deserve it (Stu is apparently his third target – the other two being dead), and only by “coming clean” can Stu avoid more deaths.
For most of this film, I was on the edge of my seat – the sound of the rifle being cocked set my heart racing every time it happened, and I went from despising Stu, to pitying him, to even sympathising with him. At times I was squirming in my seat with the demands that were made of him.
I was kept guessing at every turn (except the very end, which I found a little predictable) – and I thought the portrayal of the police’s role as excellent. Nicely added to the dramatic tension while also bringing in a “will they figure it out” aspect.
Not really a family movie, and a real breath-holder, but absolutely worth a rent.