The Caller (2008)

Director:

Richard Ledes

Writers:

Richard Ledes (writer)
Alain-Didier Weill (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

When you can't control your life, control your death

Plot:

An energy business exec is assisted by a private investigator in his effort to expose his corporation's corrupt practices.

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Frank Langella	...	Jimmy Stevens
Elliott Gould	...	Frank Turlotte
Laura Harring	...	Eileen
Anabel Sosa	...	Lila
Chandler Williams	...	Sammy
Axel Feldmann	...	Young Jimmy
Grégory Ellis	...	Lulu
Corey Johnson	...	Paul Wainsail
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Bagnell	...	Jeff
Edoardo Ballerini	...	Teddy
David Ballog	...	Peter
Jean Brassard	...	Young Jimmy's Father
Julia Carothers Hughes	...	Attractive Girl
Maria-Jose Davo	...	Waitress
Kyle Emelander	...	Restaurant Doorman
Laura Holloway	...	Secretary
Edward James Hyland	...	John
Julie Jones Ivey	...	Religious Young Woman
Devin Luke	...	Limo Driver
Charles Nordeen	...	Waiter
Marion Servole	...	Young Jimmy's mother

Also Known As:

On the Hook (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violent images.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Chapeau Films

Trivia:

The silent movie playing on the TV is _Nosferatu (1922)_.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The device Mr. Stevens plugs into his phone to morph his voice when talking to Frank is actually a power adapter for the iGo charger.

The Conversation meets The Fall

The plot has many elements that are similar to The Conversation but they are much more direct. I believe this allowed the characters to be more compelling as the viewer's brain isn't constantly spinning in an effort to solve the puzzle. Like most of the characters you'll probably know how things are going to end early on. Usually I would be disappointed in a movie that I knew the outcome only minutes after it began but the strong performances allowed me to attach myself to theme of the finite nature of our existence. I would've liked to have seen Laura Harring's character introduced sooner and the relationship further developed but I understand that not being much to it was the point.

That is all pretty general but if you like these movies and or performances I think that you'll enjoy The Caller.

As previously stated The Conversation has many similar elements. Elliot Gould is every bit the equal of Gene Hackman, although I doubt any of the young male actors become Harrison Ford.

The Fall has a similarly age mismatched relationship with a precocious young girl struggling to come to terms with very adult issues.

Frank Langella's performance reminded me of a less menacing Laurence Olivier in Marathon Man. Maybe it was the WWII age character roaming around NYC?

I also found a connection between the mother and Yoda but I don't necessarily think this is for Star Wars fans. Curiously Helen Stenborg doesn't appear in the IMDb credits?

I throughly enjoyed each of those movies and feel that The Caller can easily be mentioned in the same breath with any of them.