by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
How do you adapt a work of Stephen King? The right answer should be, carefully. There have been countless adaptations of King’s writing, but few of them deliver on his great work. Someone like Frank Darabont sure knew what he was doing with his films The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist. Mike Flanagan has done great work as well with capturing the elements of King’s work. But can Netflix deliver a winner with Mr. Harrigan’s Phone?
First off, what is this film even about? There is some difficulty with how to describe this plot (and figuring out what to include). The big issue is that this feels like several stories strung together (it was just a novella after all). The narrative feels stretched to capacity, and even beyond that. What starts as a story about a young man and his old mentor turns into a ghost story and a cautionary tale about how to process grief. This film doesn’t even know exactly what it wants to be. There are some eerie moments, but this is certainly no horror film (which it is advertised as). When you strip away the noise, it’s just an overlong and messy character study.
What does writer-director John Lee Hancock offer this King story? Unfortunately, not enough. Hancock has done thrillers before, and they never seem to catch the needed tension. This film plods along without much consequence. There are moments that should feel tense (and at least the quality score from Javier Navarrete does its job), but Hancock does not seem to be able to spark it. There is some solid, if not melodramatic, emotion in the film, which is the biggest standout. The heart of the film is Craig (our young protagonist, played by Jaeden Martell) and the relationship he develops with Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland). It is honestly well developed, so we can connect to it, and we can connect to the loneliness and grief they each experience.
Speaking of, what themes play out over the course of this elongated runtime? Loneliness. Craig and Mr. Harrigan share this, and they each thrive through their visits together. Control. Craig lacks it in his life, and Mr. Harrigan gives him the opportunity to channel it. Grief and loss. This is the core of the film, as Craig must give up darkness in favor of closure and the ability to move forward. There are plenty of messages in the film about technology, the internet, and smartphones. The themes are dense and fruitful, but mismanaged by a blunt and heavy-handed script.
But do the actors elevate this dialogue written by Hancock? Martell is such a talented young actor. He has a lot to carry in this film, and he does admirably. His role might be bogged down by tons of exposition and narration, but this young actor is able to overcome it. Sutherland continues to impress well into his later years. His performance here is powerful and commanding. He takes what Hancock has written and elevates every word. There are also some props to be thrown around for Kirby Howell-Baptiste, who is Craig’s well-meaning and caring teacher.
Is Mr. Harrigan’s Phone a compelling new adaptation of King’s work? It is certainly a mixed bag experience. The acting and emotions are high, but the actual script bogs the whole film down. I cannot help but admit this “horror” film had my attention through the whole runtime, but don’t expect big scares or thrills. It feels much more like a drama that happens to feel a little eerie.
Score: 6/10
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