Cinematic Point Of View

Movie: The Black Phone (2021)
Director: Scott Derrickson
Starring: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Ethan Hawke

Set in 1978, The Black Phone, based on a Joe Hill short story, follows a meek 13 year old boy named Finney Shaw who is kidnapped by a masked killer, known as The Grabber, and locked in a soundproof basement. Finney soon discovers an old, disconnected black rotary phone on the wall through which he receives calls from the spirits of other dead boys killed by The Grabber.

Meanwhile, Finney’s sister Gwen tries to work with the police to find him and begins to have strange psychic dreams that give her clues to where Finney is being held captive.

Why I Liked It

This might sound strange, but The Black Phone feels like my childhood. It captures the look and chaos of growing up in the ’70s and ’80s so casually perfect. From the bathroom bullies, the belt punishments, and the lonely neighborhood streets to the strange mix of freedom and isolation that came with life before cell phones. There was a real fear of being abducted as a kid in my neighborhood. There was one boy who was abducted getting off their school bus and another chased home to their front door. The look and feel of this movie is achingly familiar.

Beyond the film’s aesthetic and setting, the story is by the son of Stephen King, which does lend itself to feeling like familiar territory. Hill has his own voice for sure, but there are beautiful echoes of his father’s tropes seen throughout. And that’s okay. I love Stephen King. He too was a big part of my childhood too.

The performances are all very natural. The kids, especially, feel like a real brother and sister, and the adults bring just as much depth. Ethan Hawke is terrifying as “The Grabber,” and Jeremy Davies, as the siblings’ broken, alcoholic father, is truly tragic to watch. There’s a brutal scene where Gwen takes a belt beating for her brother that hits harder than any of the film’s supernatural horror. It’s raw, real, and deeply unsettling to say the least.

I also love cinematographer Brett Jutkiewicz grainy film look during Gwen’s dream sequences. It’s another simple touch that works to set this film apart.

Between its haunting soundtrack, nostalgic 1970s set design, and suffocating atmosphere, The Black Phone completely caught me off guard. The story itself isn’t groundbreaking, but it doesn’t need to be. Sometimes all a film needs is mood, authenticity, and the right cast to succeed. This one nails it across the board.