Movie Review: When a Stranger Calls (2006)

I've never seen the original 1979 film, so I don't have that point of reference. However, there are years worth of films that have taken inspiration, at least in part, from it. The trailers did not instill much confidence in me, it looked like Scream, and had one of the worst line deliveries I have heard in some time. That line being the fear inducing "The call is coming from inside the house!"

The opening credits play while the camera cuts around a small town and a neighboring carnival, while we hear a cluster of phone calls with no one on the other end. It ends with a murder and then the police removing the remains in a number of plastic bags. The scene cuts to another town, where we are introduced to Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle). In short order, her life is given a little drama and she is dropped off at the big, creepy, antiseptic home where she is to babysit. Before long, she is getting hang ups and false scares. We scream towards the conclusion in a brisk 83 minutes.

When a Stranger Calls fails to take off. The tension never builds, I mean, we watch her get these calls, we see her as she wanders around the house, but I never get any sense of actual danger, except when we get a music cue. The musical score looks to fill the role of tension builder, it is always there, intruding on the action, informing you how you should feel. It is one of the most obtrusive and annoying scores I have heard in some time.

On top of the score, the script does not allow for any development. It is lean and mean, and while in some cases that is admirable (see Red Eye and Good Night, and Good Luck), that is not the case here. Relationships and issues are set up for Jill to get through, yet there is no payoff to them. I don't get the sense of any desire on the part of the filmmakers to flesh out any of these characters. Granted, the centerpiece and focus is, and should be, on the phone calls and ultimate showdown. It is a shame that we are saddled with a pared down vision with lack of scope. This also extends to the direction--there are some nice shots, but most of it is intent on getting closeups of the lead's face, and pretty shots of the cold home.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

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