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IMDbPro

Phone Booth

  • 20022002
  • RR
  • 1h 21m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
266K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,531
333
Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes, Colin Farrell, and Radha Mitchell in Phone Booth (2002)
Trailer
Play trailer2:29
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Crime
  • Thriller
Publicist Stuart Shepard finds himself trapped in a phone booth, pinned down by an extortionist's sniper rifle. Unable to leave or receive outside help, Stuart's negotiation with the caller ... Read allPublicist Stuart Shepard finds himself trapped in a phone booth, pinned down by an extortionist's sniper rifle. Unable to leave or receive outside help, Stuart's negotiation with the caller leads to a jaw-dropping climax.Publicist Stuart Shepard finds himself trapped in a phone booth, pinned down by an extortionist's sniper rifle. Unable to leave or receive outside help, Stuart's negotiation with the caller leads to a jaw-dropping climax.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
266K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,531
333
  • Director
    • Joel Schumacher
  • Writer
    • Larry Cohen
  • Stars
    • Colin Farrell
    • Kiefer Sutherland
    • Forest Whitaker
Top credits
  • Director
    • Joel Schumacher
  • Writer
    • Larry Cohen
  • Stars
    • Colin Farrell
    • Kiefer Sutherland
    • Forest Whitaker
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 693User reviews
    • 195Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 8 nominations

    Videos2

    Phone Booth
    Trailer 2:29
    Phone Booth
    What Roles Has Colin Farrell Been Considered For?
    Clip 3:40
    What Roles Has Colin Farrell Been Considered For?

    Photos110

    Colin Farrell stars as Stu
    Colin Farrell stars as Stu
    Colin Farrell in Phone Booth (2002)
    Katie Holmes in Phone Booth (2002)
    Colin Farrell in Phone Booth (2002)
    Paula Jai Parker, Arian Ash, and Colin Farrell in Phone Booth (2002)
    John Enos III, Arian Ash, and Colin Farrell in Phone Booth (2002)
    Colin Farrell and Keith Nobbs in Phone Booth (2002)
    Forest Whitaker and Colin Farrell in Phone Booth (2002)
    Colin Farrell in Phone Booth (2002)
    Radha Mitchell in Phone Booth (2002)
    Colin Farrell in Phone Booth (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Colin Farrell
    Colin Farrell
    • Stu Shepardas Stu Shepard
    Kiefer Sutherland
    Kiefer Sutherland
    • The Calleras The Caller
    Forest Whitaker
    Forest Whitaker
    • Captain Rameyas Captain Ramey
    Radha Mitchell
    Radha Mitchell
    • Kelly Shepardas Kelly Shepard
    Katie Holmes
    Katie Holmes
    • Pamela McFaddenas Pamela McFadden
    Paula Jai Parker
    Paula Jai Parker
    • Feliciaas Felicia
    Arian Ash
    Arian Ash
    • Corkyas Corky
    Tia Texada
    Tia Texada
    • Asiaas Asia
    John Enos III
    John Enos III
    • Leonas Leon
    Richard T. Jones
    Richard T. Jones
    • Sergeant Coleas Sergeant Cole
    Keith Nobbs
    Keith Nobbs
    • Adamas Adam
    Dell Yount
    Dell Yount
    • Pizza Guyas Pizza Guy
    James MacDonald
    James MacDonald
    • Negotiatoras Negotiator
    • (as James Macdonald)
    Josh Pais
    Josh Pais
    • Marioas Mario
    Yorgo Constantine
    Yorgo Constantine
    • ESU Commanderas ESU Commander
    Colin Patrick Lynch
    Colin Patrick Lynch
    • ESU Technicianas ESU Technician
    Troy Gilbert
    • ESU Sniperas ESU Sniper
    Richard Paradise
    • ESU Guyas ESU Guy
    • Director
      • Joel Schumacher
    • Writer
      • Larry Cohen
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Screenwriter Larry Cohen originally pitched the concept of a film that takes place entirely within a phone booth to Alfred Hitchcock in the 1960s. Hitchcock liked the idea, but he and Cohen were unable to figure out a plot reason for keeping the film confined to a booth. Once the idea of a sniper came to Cohen in the late 1990s, he was able to write the script in under a month.
    • Goofs
      At the end of the movie as Stu (Colin Farrell) lies in the ambulance after being shot, he is given medication for the pain which makes him very disoriented just in time for The Caller (Kiefer Sutherland) to show up and taunt him. The person who administered the medication just hops out of the ambulance. Any time an injured person would be given such a strong medicine, they would be monitored to ensure that they have no negative reaction.
    • Quotes

      Stu: I have never done anything for anybody who couldn't do something for me. I string along an eager kid with promises I'll pay him money. I only keep him around because he looks up to me. Adam, if you're watching, don't be a publicist. You're too good for it. I lie in person and on the phone. I lie to my friends. I lie to newspapers and magazines who, who sell my lies to more and more people. I am just a part of a big cycle of lies, I should be fuckin' president. I wear all this Italian shit because underneath I still feel like the Bronx. I think I need these clothes and this watch. My two thousand dollar watch is a fake and so am I. I've neglected the things I should have valued most. I valued this shit. I take off my wedding ring to call Pam. Kelly, that's Pam. Don't blame her. I never told her I was married. And if I did she, she would have told me to go home. Kelly, looking at you now, I'm ashamed of myself. All right? I mean, I work so hard on this image, on Stu Shepherd, the asshole who refers to himself in the third person, that I only proved I should be alone. I have just been dressing up as something I'm not for so long, I'm so afraid no one will like what's underneath. But here I am, just flesh and blood and weakness, and uh and I love you so fucking much. And, um, I take off this ring because it only reminds me of how I've failed you, and I don't, don't want to give you up. I want to make things better, but it may not be my choice anymore. You deserve better.

    • Crazy credits
      The 20th Century Fox logo blends into the white clouds that open the film.
    • Alternate versions
      The FX Network airs this movie with Jared Leto's deleted scene reinserted to bring up the film's running time to fit a two-hour block.
    • Connections
      Featured in Friday Night Saturday Morning (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      Operator
      Written by William Spivery

      Produced by Nathan Larson

    User reviews693

    Review
    Top review
    An absolutely terrific thriller
    Stu Shepard is a press agent. By definition that means he is a liar. One day Stu tells one lie too many, and, as he stands in a phone booth, he finds himself at the mercy of a vicious but sardonic sniper who demands the truth from him.

    "Phone Booth" is an absolutely terrific thriller. I was intrigued by the concept when I first heard about it: a film set almost entirely within the confines of a phone booth! Frankly, having little respect for director Joel Schumacher after his bloated Batman sequels and mindless Grisham adaptations, I didn't expect much, but I was pleasantly surprised. With every plot twist, I was on the edge of my seat wondering how the film makers were going to resolve the escalating situation without violating the internal perspective of the film. Schumacher and company always did so with great panache, but this film is more than a esoteric experiment in film making technique. It is a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller.

    While much of the success of the film rests firmly on the shoulders of Colin Farrell, who plays wonderfully against the disembodied voice of Kiefer Sutherland, the real star of the movie is screenwriter Larry Cohen. Cohen, a crafty old veteran from the B-movie world, deserved an Oscar nomination for this inventive script which was so old that it was actually offered to Alfred Hitchcock. (I wish he would have tackled it!) Bravo, Mr. Cohen. Maybe it's time for me to start checking out your "Maniac Cop" films.
    helpful•9
    3
    • openeyes
    • Feb 8, 2004

    FAQ3

    • Why does the sniper target Stu?
    • How did The Caller orchestrate everything?
    • Who is the uncredited narrator at the beginning of the movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 4, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Stream Phone Booth officially on Disney+ Hotstar Indonesia
    • Languages
      • English
      • Swahili
    • Also known as
      • Телефонна будка
    • Filming locations
      • Times Square, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Fox 2000 Pictures
      • Zucker/Netter Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $13,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $46,566,212
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,021,088
      • Apr 6, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $97,837,138
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 21 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

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