3 out of 5 stars
Stephen King is one of the most prolific writers of the past few decades and is one of the rare talents that is consistently translated to the cinema. Even though he is known for his horror tales, many of his dramatic stories have become big-screen classics. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is John Lee Hancock’s (The Blind Side) interpretation of King’s novella of the same name.
This short story is less horror and more spiritual thriller. The narrative is told by the familiar Stephen King trope of the writer who is remembering one of the formative times of life. Craig (Jaeden Martell) has just started high school and is doing all he can to fit in without getting the attention of the local bullies. As he makes his way through the halls of high school, one thing stands out as a clear student division, what type of mobile phone you own. During this influential time of life, Craig has been hired by the reclusive billionaire, Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland). The grey-haired recluse has the boy come to his house to read books to him. Their bond grows throughout the years and as the seasoned businessman helps to educate the young man, one thing that Craig introduces to the senior statesman is the iPhone.
Each has different experiences as the phones begin to impact their lives, with Craig being accepted within the social system at school. While Mr. Harrigan enjoys the conveniences of the smartphone, he does predict how it would lead to the downfall of modern society in many ways. Then one day, the billionaire passes away suddenly, and Craig must come to terms with this loss. He shows his devotion to his friend by messaging him on the old man’s phone one last time and placing it in his casket before his burial. Except this leads to something unexpected when the high schooler gets home and receives a reply from Mr. Harrigan to his message.
If Stephen King had written an ‘after-school special', this film would be the best representation of the life-lesson storyline. Despite a few suspenseful moments, the overall experience becomes a warning about the morality of the human soul. The celebrated author manages to take a simple premise and layer multiple learnings for his young protagonist. Mr. Harrigan becomes both conscience and mentor for his young protege. This role happens naturally as he has Craig read books and share bits of wisdom he has gained throughout his years. A fascinating character play that may seem a bit sluggish for many King fans, but one worth discovering.
Donald Sutherland was captivating as the contemplative and hardened industrialist. While Jaeden Martell did all he could to keep up with the seething charisma of the veteran actor. Yet, their relationship was what held this whole screenplay together and when that ended, things initially became less interesting. Except, like his character, Sutherland’s presence is felt even when he is not on screen. This will keep audiences engaged through to the end to see what he is truly trying to teach his young friend from beyond the grave. This proves that subtle and understated storytelling can be as compelling as the grotesque and direct tales offered by the famed author.
Reel Dialogue: Life lessons
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. - Ephesians 4:31-32
Throughout this story, the Bible gets a mention in each act as a signpost to the lesson to be learned. Not to take away from the things taught to Craig within the film, but this passage in Ephesians is loaded with wisdom that would help anyone through most of life’s challenges. Who can argue against getting rid of bitterness and anger in our lives, while being more compassionate and forgiving. The struggle is putting the words into action.
Yet, one thing that stood out to me in this film was the value of bridging the gap of the generations. This innocent and enriching bond between these two individuals shows how we can learn something from those in every age bracket. The lessons experienced by both men become evident by the end, but one that stood out the most was how we all need to reach out to those in other generations to see what we can learn from them. Also, you might even find a friend within this connection.
