You just never know if a movie directed by Joel Schumacher is going to be very good or very forgettable.  Luckily, Phone Booth fits into the first category and turns out to be a most original and entertaining thriller written by Larry Cohen, who is a both a master and an old-hand of making B-Movies.  At only 81 minutes, Phone Booth never has a dull moment and keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting what is going to happen minute after minute.

      We are soon introduced to Stu (played magnificently by the way by Colin Farrell) who is strolling the streets of New York with a young co-worker following in his every footsteps.  From the multiple cell phone conversations that we hear Stu have early on, we find out that he is one big liar to his clients in order that they think he is doing everything for them when in reality, Stu is doing everything he can for Stu.  Also, we learn that Stu is lying as well to his wife as he has a girlfriend on the side who he likes to call from phone booths as his wife tends to check out their cell phone bills.  Well, Stu makes one phone booth call too many when all of a sudden a call comes to the phone booth he is at and it turns out to be a sniper who has a high-powered rifle trained on Stu.  The rest of the film has Stu talking to the sniper on the phone in the booth because if he doesn't, the sniper will kill him.  The cops show up thinking Stu has killed a person on the street and Stu is trying to keep the cops from killing him as well as the sniper.

      I'll say right up front that this film is made so entertaining because of Colin Farrell's magnificent portrayal of a back-stabbing jerk who finds himself having to admit to all his sins while at the same time trying to figure out how the hell to save his own life from this sniper who seems to know all about him.  Farrell's outbursts and fear throughout his ordeal in the phone booth seems very realistic and he has a way of making the audience care about this person, even if we know he is a true jerk who is cheating on both his clients and his wife.  Supporting roles played by Forrest Whitaker, Radha Mitchell and Katie Holmes are also effective.

      There are certainly things that people can pick apart in the film such as some very over-the-top cartoonish hookers and their pimp.  However, the meat of the film is between Stu and the sniper and the tension and creepy feeling that persists during the film makes the audience stay glued to the screen.  I like some of the twists and surprises that show up in the film and Schumacher makes the film move without a wasted second of film.  There is lots of good dialogue that takes place between Stu and the sniper and it is most entertaining to listen and watch the mindgames that the sniper is putting on Stu, driving him to the edge.

      So, will this film win any Oscars next year?  Highly doubtful.  But does this film entertain the audience and take them on a rollercoaster of a wild, fun ride?  You bet it does.  I had lots of fun watching this movie and it's about time that a really fun and engaging film comes to the theatre this year.  Get your ticket and some hot popcorn and have a blast watching this one.