Phone Booth manages to put pretty much everything you want into a thriller in a short space of time. It is a thoroughly original idea - a publicist, who has been lying his way to success, is held inside the phone booth he has been using to cheat on his wife by an unseen sniper on the other end of the line, who wants him to confess to his wife. It is very well acted, with Colin Farrell portraying the desperation of his character really well, while Kiefer Sutherland, while only seen for a few seconds, plays "The Caller" very well. His character is a very good and original one, as while he does kill innocent people without remorse, his real victims are chosen well. He uses threat to try and force them to come clean, and stop cheating in life. It is one of the few films where you find yourself rooting for the bad guy. His voice on the phone is also chillingly brilliant. Without that voice, the film wouldn't be nearly as effective in achieving the suspense generated. Forrest Whitaker also puts in a nice performance as the detective trying to resolve the situation.
The camera-work is also fantastic. The shots rotating 360 degrees, looking up at the tall buildings give you a feeling of claustrophobia, like you are also stuck in the phone booth with Stu. Interesting dialogue, a thrilling situation, a couple of nice twists and a completely fresh idea make this a top film, and is one of Joel Schumacher's best achievements.
The camera-work is also fantastic. The shots rotating 360 degrees, looking up at the tall buildings give you a feeling of claustrophobia, like you are also stuck in the phone booth with Stu. Interesting dialogue, a thrilling situation, a couple of nice twists and a completely fresh idea make this a top film, and is one of Joel Schumacher's best achievements.