Nicht auflegen!

KIEFER RULES! The main star in this inventive thriller for me is not the great Colin Farrell, but the absolutely perfect voice performance of Keifer Shuterland. I wouldn’t want to see this film dubbed. And I also wonder how the video distributors will handle it when converting it to VHS format. Schumacher divides the screen into several windows in which we see the plot running simultaneously from different locations. It's nothing new, but I like this method often used in the 1960s. (24.08.2003)

Even after watching this film twenty times, it's still an inventive, clever, and suspenseful thriller where Joel Schumacher, constrained by budget and shooting days, lets the entire weight of the plot be carried by the polished dialogue of the Farrell-Sutherland pair. For this, the biggest thanks go to Larry Cohen, who did have some mistakes and logical question marks in the script, but the witty social criticism together with the escalation of the plot reliably carries the film for the entire 70-minute runtime. (28.02.2009)

Ja, wenn das Telefon in der Kabine neben mir wieder klingelt, werde ich nicht einmal daran denken abzunehmen... oder doch? Der Film von Joel Schumacher erfüllt alle Kriterien eines "intelligenten" Thrillers. Minimalistisches Bühnenbild, großartiges Schauspiel (vor allem die Verwandlung des Narzissten Farrell ist ein Leckerbissen!), interessante Arbeit mit dem Bild (die Verschränkung der Einstellungen erhöht die Spannung und den Schwung), anständige Musik und vor allem ein solide geschriebenes Drehbuch, das mit einem Minimum an Mitteln die Absurdität und den Schrecken der Situation, in der sich die unfreiwillige Geisel der Stimme am Telefon befindet, abrundet. Vielleicht hätte ich auf das etwas karnevaleske und theatralische Ende verzichten können. Alles in allem ist es kein Film, der mich vor Begeisterung an die Decke gehen lässt, aber er ist sicherlich ein Tipp für einen gelungenen Kinoabend... (03.07.2004)

I’m grateful to Telecom/Télefonica O2 for getting rid of the telephone boxes from my neighborhood. I’m such a dummy that I also might pick up a forlorn call. Just that I’m in no way such a hot shot like Farrell. I’d be a darn piece of cake for “that guy". And for this movie is a piece of cake too because everything works as it should and practically all came out unprecedentedly well. Especially the atmosphere. Something that would be hard to find in a regular Prague phone booth. (19.01.2007)

How much does each of us hide? How much do we pretend in front of others and what will we do when we are exposed? What if his threats are not empty and the revealed secret won't be the end of it? How quickly are we able to reassess our highest priorities when it comes to life, not just for ourselves, but also for those closest to us? Maybe I shouldn't have taken that pizza after all... Colin Farrell's perfect performance and the brilliant voice acting of the sniper in a film, which at the time had absolutely no competition. Even many subsequent screenings cannot change the fact that Schumacher and Cohen then surpassed themselves forever. (22.12.2005)

An amazing thriller that bowled me over. The concert of acting by Colin Farrell and the chilling voice of Kiefer Sutherland glued my eyes to the screen from the start and taught me some... um, lessons. For instance, since then I don’t like telling lies and I’ve stopped calling from phone booths. You can never be too careful. (30.12.2005)

Joel Schumacher is truly a unique person, he can make crap like Batman & Robin, but he can also make gems like Falling Down or 8mm. This project, Phone Booth, is considered the pinnacle of his filmography because it has everything a film in this genre should have: a great main hero, a devilish villain, captivating atmosphere, excellent camera work, and solid music. That's why it is one of the best thrillers of the year. (26.10.2003)

Am Ende des Films wusste das Drehbuch anscheinend nicht mehr, wie es weitergehen soll. Deshalb ist auf einmal etwas passiert, was jederzeit passieren konnte. Es war so überstürzt und einfach seltsam, dass mir das Nicht auflegen! ein bisschen verdorben hat. Die vorhergehende Stunde ist aber gelungen. Und es würde mir bestimmt nicht gefallen, wenn mein schlechtes Gewissen die Stimme vom kichernden Kiefer Sutherland haben würde. (05.07.2016)

The maximum out of the minimum, there's probably no better way to describe Phone Booth. Joel Schumacher managed to turn a simple and unassuming idea into a thrilling and dynamic thriller that ranks among the best of the turn of the millennium. I was surprised by Colin Farrell, who pulls it all off with the grace inherent in the most brilliant actors and contributes greatly to the final quality of the film, which could not have been better given the premise. I hope that Schumacher is yet to say his final word. (15.06.2012)

"Telephone booth" is still effective even after years, although it may seem that the booth itself is a relic that can only be found in a museum nowadays. It beautifully demonstrates how times evolve. However, it doesn't really matter because even in another 13 years, this will be an immensely powerful and claustrophobic drama, which will still have the same positive effect on the viewer. Joel Schumacher truly excelled in this. (21.04.2015)

Considering the short time in which this movie was made, it can’t be called anything but a masterpiece. It grips you from the first to the last minute and won't let go even for a second. The script is excellent, but it was brought to perfection by two men. Namely, Joel Schumacher, who really proved what a director he is and especially Colin Farrell, because his acting performance is one of the best I've ever seen. (10.09.2012)