Mr. Harrigan’s Phone follows Craig who befriends a lonely billionaire named John Harrigan, only to find out that their bond continues even after Mr. Harrigan’s death.
Adaptations of Stephen King stories have not had the track record one would expect from the reel versions of the acclaimed author’s bestselling novels and stories. The Shining continues to loom over most of the later adaptations, setting standards for freaky thrills one wish Mr. Harrigan’s Phone had delivered.
Featuring Jaeden Martell and Donald Sutherland in key roles, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone has an interesting premise of a billionaire’s ghost following a kid named Craig through an iPhone (not a bad marketing trick for Apple). However, the question remains whether John Lee Hancock’s adaptation of this short novella by Stephen King improves upon the source material in any way.
The Story
Craig is a young boy who lives with his father in Harlow, Maine. Craig’s childhood has been quite lonely after his mother’s death.
One day, his path crosses with that of Mr. John Harrigan, the wealthiest man in Harlow, who seeks Craig’s assistance to read books as he’s losing his eyesight. An association begins between Craig and Mr. Harrigan as Craig reads various books for Mr. Harrigan’s leisure.
Over the course of five years, the book-reading sessions continue. Craig soon enters college and finds himself amidst the cell phone wave. Managing to get his hands on an iPhone after his father presented him with one on Christmas, Craig gifts one to Mr. Harrigan as well, introducing him to the many benefits of the new technology.
Mr. Harrigan shows some early apprehensions about the device but quickly adopts it for the additional services it brings to him. However, it is only later that Craig realizes how much Mr. Harrigan was connected to his phone when the older man passes away.
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Reasons To Stream
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone takes off on a solid note as Craig, played majorly by Jaeden Martell, is introduced. A young kid who’s battling his own loneliness serves as the best companion for an older man who pursues a lonely life by choice.
Jaeden Martell and Donald Sutherland (Mr. Harrigan) share a strong chemistry that translates into the film’s high point. Donald Sutherland evokes the suspense required for his role by playing a morally questionable character who could cross the line if needed.
The slowly-developing bond between the two and the exciting conversations that follow as both get to know each other more make way for some of the most interesting scenes. Pitching two characters starkly opposite in their worldview has rarely failed – similar is the case with Mr. Harrigan’s Phone as well.
The premise of a dead man possibly communicating with his young friend, often crossing the line to protect him, definitely evokes some curiosity. The slow tension that builds up serves the purpose of building a solid foundation for a well-crafted horror film to take off.
Reasons To Skip
Beyond the intriguing premise, the film does not really take off to transform into a freakishly horrifying horror film. Coming to solely delivering as a horror offering, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone rarely delves into that territory, mostly balancing between a social commentary, a thriller, and a drama.
There are barely a handful of instances in the movie that proves to be somewhat scary if given thought – not the best quality for a horror film to have. It becomes evident that a great premise, which could have been utilized to serve a gratifying horror film, has been wasted as too much time is wasted lingering on certain parts at the cost of the others.
At some point, it also feels like the movie is taking too much to reach the part that’s supposed to be the most interesting if one has watched the trailer. The build-up takes far too long to result in something that is just not satisfying enough for someone who watches a “Stephen King” adaptation in hopes of a bone-chilling horror film.
The film also attempts to bring some social commentary into the mix, focusing on the advent of cell phones and how they will soon take over human interaction. Nor is it something unsaid before and neither does it serve the purpose of making the film’s events any scarier.
The Verdict
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone doesn’t rise to the promise that the story setting offers at first glance. Mixing the elements of a drama with those of a horror film disproportionately only makes the focus disproportionate. It’s not that great horror movies cannot have elements of drama in them, but this film does not execute the blend as effectively to offer something that’s moving while horrifying at the same time. The surface-level treatment that even the drama receives acts counterproductively.
John Lee Hancock’s Mr. Harrigan’s Phone commits the greater crime by not leveraging the great premise offered by the source material. Undoubtedly, the film will not meet the expectation of a Stephen King fan who wants to see a well-crafted horror film. If anything, curiosity could be a great motivator to pursue one to watch the film.
Rating: 2.5/5
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is now streaming on Netflix.
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