Mr. Harrigan's Phone review: A Stephen King adaptation that won’t keep everyone on the line

Based on Stephen King’s novella of the same name, the Netflix film might come as a disappointment to King’s fans, and takes on the hues of an admonitory tale rather than a horror story.

Mr. Harrigan's Phone

Story:

Craig (Jaeden Martell) receives a respite from his mundane and lonely existence after the death of his mother when he is hired by the solitary billionaire Mr Harrigan (Donald Sutherland) to read novels for the latter. The two strike up an unlikely bond with each other. However, when the elderly man passes away, Craig is left with a sinister reminder of the close bond the two shared.

Review:

Stephen King’s bibliography is the gift that keeps on giving for horror fans. After ushering in a new era in contemporary horror fiction with his books, the author’s works are dominating the horror scene in the silver screen as well. Netflix has been in the forefront of adapting King’s works, delivering chilling adaptations with Gerald’s Game and 1922, and missing the mark in some others. Unfortunately, Mr. Harrigan's Phone seems to be a part of the latter category, as far as ardent King fans are concerned at least.

Although the film sets the stage for an ominous, slow burn horror story, it fails to deliver on its promise. The film follows the story of Craig, a young boy battling the throes of grief after the loss of his mother. His banal and lonely existence changes for the better when he is employed by billionaire Mr Harrigan out of the blue. The aging billionaire hires the young man to read him books, and as the two spend more and more time together, they develop a close bond, which, as it turns out, even death has a hard time parting.

The writing fails to capitalise on the intriguing presence of the film, giving rise to one of the most muted and watered down of King’s adaptations in recent times. Rather than a tale of horror, viewers are treated to a film that is more along the lines of a cautionary tale, about a suppressed, grieving young man who falls prey to his own inner demons when given a chance to wield a weapon to channel his frustrations. The dragging pace of the film, which ultimately does not deliver in terms of the horror element, does not work in its favour either. In the end what was promised to be a slow burn, atmospheric horror story ends up becoming akin to an unimaginative coming of age tale with nothing to make it stand apart from the rest of the pack.

Despite the failings in its storytelling, the film does have a few things going for it, including strong characterisation and compelling performances. The way Craig’s character is written and fleshed out, and his bond with Mr Harrigan, inspired by his own loneliness, is a joy to watch unfolding on the screen. Both Jaeden Martell and Donald Sutherland deliver tastefully restrained performances that are in line with the intensity of their characters.

Verdict:

Mr. Harrigan's Phone may not be what Stephen King fans and classic horror fans may be looking for, with the John Lee Hancock directorial walking the fence between horror and cautionary coming of age tale. But solid performances and strong characterisation keep this horror drama afloat.

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Cast and Crew

John Lee Hancock

Kirby Howell-Baptiste

Donald Sutherland

Where To Watch