Review by CJ

Director:
Simon West

Starring:
Camilla Belle, Tommy Flanagan, Lance Henriksen

Other notable appearances:
Katie Cassidy, Tessa Thompson, Clark Gregg, David Denman, Dianna Agron

Running time:
87 minutes

Watch this if you liked:
Halloween, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Orphan

Jill Johnson (Belle) has been made to take a babysitting job at a large, isolated house as punishment for overusing her mobile phone. While there, Jill starts to receive menacing phone calls from an unknown caller who is about to make themselves very known.

When A Stranger Calls is a good example of a psychological thriller. It keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat despite a limited set and cast.

As far as leads in “stalked teen” style thrillers go, Belle manages to hold her own when her performance could easily have been phoned in. There are few instances throughout the film during which she could play off another actor, so the fact that Belle was able to keep the film engaging is a testament to her talent and that of the director.

When A Stranger Calls is a remake of a 1979 film and based on an urban legend, so it doesn’t cover a lot of new ground. But it does what it does well. The suspense is tight, the lead character is likeable in a modern Laurie Strode way, and the set design combines well with the lighting to create an eerie feeling in most of the right places.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers without convoluted plots or slasher flicks without the slashing, When A Stranger Calls is a good way to spend nearly 90 minutes.

Rating:

“Have you checked the children?”