A teen gets revenge in an unexpected way in Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, the latest from writer/director John Lee Hanc*ck.
As an awkward teen, Craig has plenty of enemies and very few friends. One of the closest people to him is an elder man, Mr. Harrigan, who Craig gives a smartphone to in order to stay in touch. When Mr. Harrigan passes, Craig continues talking to Harrigan by leaving messages on his phone, which inexplicably start leading to repercussions for the people Craig mentions. Confused about what is going on, Craig begins digging into Harrigan’s past, and what he finds makes him question if Harrigan could really be behind the strange occurrences.
Based on the novella of the same name by Stephen King, the film looks to be a twisty little horror film, one that thrives on its central mystery. These sorts of uncomplicated genre pieces are what Hanc*ck specializes in, having helmed the sports biopic The Blind Side and the detective drama The Highwaymen. They aren’t horror specifically, but they are genres with well-defined blueprints, much like King’s horror stories rely on.
Starring as the awkward teen is It and Knives Out alum Jaeden Martell, with Donald Sutherland co-starring as the mysterious Mr. Harrigan. That’s a duo that can do a lot with this premise, so hopefully this will turn out to be a spooky good time.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is directed by John Lee Hanc*ck and stars Jaeden Martell, Donald Sutherland, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. It will be released on Netflix worldwide October 5th.
Will you answer the call? Let us know in the comments!
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.