Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is a 2022 supernatural movie streaming on Netflix. With a cast to envy, the title should have been an easy win for the movie provider. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone movie is cast with recognizable faces. Donald Sutherland (Horrible Bosses) and Jaeden Martell (the It movie franchise) lead the way as an odd pairing. Martell plays a young boy called Craig, who is hired to read to Mr. Harrigan in the afternoons.
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- Released: 5 October 2022 (Netflix)
- Director and writer: John Lee Hancock
- Based on: Stephen King’s novella Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, from the 2020 collection If It Bleeds
- Runtime: 106 minutes
- Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, some strong language, violent content and brief drug material
- Genre: Supernatural coming-of-age horror
- Production: Blumhouse Productions and Ryan Murphy
- Cinematography: John Schwartzman
- Distributor: Netflix
- Watched on: Netflix
Mr Harrigan’s Phone Film Review
The story feels like it’s always about to hit a precipice of unnatural and spooky events. However, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is surprisingly lacking in any such thing. Instead, the narrative takes on a more preachy and insightful direction. Although interesting, the film chooses to add prophetic talk about how the invention of iPhones will be the end of a more streamlined era of dishing up information with no real connection to the central core of the story. While these tidbits add a splash of intrigue, they generally add nothing to the film as a whole.
Those unfamiliar with the Stephen King novella titled If It Bleeds from whence the story came might be looking for something a little more frightening and less melodramatic, as was I. The story has all the right ingredients after all. There is a young boy with a close connection to someone with power. A man who was known to love the idea of taking down the people who chose to cross him. Craig and Mr. Harrigan form a solid friendship, and when he dies, he discovers he is still able to talk to him through the mobile phones they shared.
When Craig is ruthlessly bullied by a thug called Kenny (Cyrus Arnold), he calls the old man’s phone. Desperate for the man’s advice, he reports a vicious bashing he receives from him. When Kenny turns up dead the next day, Craig realizes there is something otherworldly at play. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone plays a vital part as the heartbeat between Craig and his mentor in this ghost story told from a first-person perspective.
The cinematography is a stunning mix of beautiful gothic-style mansions with scenic backdrops alongside everyday footage of Craig as he navigates school life. Some of the more gore-laden shots are not captured during the said event. Instead, filmmakers chose to show us the moments before and the results thereafter with the addition of a voice-over explanation from the narrator, Craig.
Overall, the title is definitely lacking for a Stephen King adaptation when it comes to horror elements. What’s more, they are almost nonexistent here. Without a big reveal and a being a slow burn type of tale, there is not a lot for the casual horror fan to enjoy, even if looking for a quick fix. Had the title not been labeled as a horror movie, I would likely have been far less disappointed in the highs and lows of the film.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is rated
3 needed more hitman phone calls out of 5
Movies Like Mr. Harrigan’s Phone (and Other Horror Movies About Phones)
- The Call (2020): Lin Shay and Tobin Bell star in this dark horror movie.
- The Kol film Korean language and scary JHorror (2020): You don’t want to miss this ringing phone.
- Last Radio Call 2021is a found footage film that follows a policeman in a haunted hospital.
- The Black Phone (2021): a disconnected phone rings with calls from a killer’s earlier victims.
- Cell (2016): Stephen King’s own phone horror, where a signal turns anyone mid-call into a killer.
- One Missed Call (2003): you get a call from your own phone, from the near future, with a recording of your death.
- Countdown (2019): an app that tells you exactly when you’ll die.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone Movie Cast – What Else Were They in
- Donald Sutherland (Horrible Bosses, The Hunger Games franchise)
- Cyrus Arnold (Zoolander 2, The Exorcist TV series)
- Jaeden Martell (The It Movie franchise, Metal Lords)
- Joe Tippett (Dirty John TV series)
- Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Barry TV series, Killing Eve series).
- Directed by John Lee Hancock (The Little Things, The Blind Side).
- Written by John Lee Hancock and Stephen King.
What is the Movie Mr. Harrigan’s Phone About?
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is a movie adaptation of Stephen King’s short story. It follows the story of a young boy, Craig, who befriends an elderly man named Mr. Harrigan. When Mr. Harrigan passes away, Craig discovers a way to communicate with him through an old-fashioned phone. As their connection grows, Craig realizes that his interactions with Mr. Harrigan have unexpected consequences.
Who are the Main Actors in Mr. Harrigan’s Phone?
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone features a talented cast, including Donald Sutherland, Cyrus Arnold, Jaeden Martell and Joe Tippett. Their brilliant performances bring the characters to life and add depth to the supernatural storyline.
Is Mr. Harrigan’s Phone available for streaming on popular platforms?
Yes, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is available for streaming on various popular platforms, see justwatch.com for where to watch in your region. You can enjoy this captivating movie from the comfort of your own home and delve into the intriguing world of Stephen King’s storytelling.
