CELLULAR
US, 2004, 107 minutes, Colour.
Kim Basinger, William H. Macy, Noah Emmerich, Jason Statham.
Directed by David R. Ellis.
A very entertaining thriller. It is also a thriller that could not have happened twenty years ago. It depends on the developing technology of the mobile phone, the Americans love for their cell phones.
When a science teacher is abducted from her house as her housekeeper is killed, she is kept in a loft where the criminals destroy the phone. But… She is able to fix the phone and call out. The young man who answers is one of those self-absorbed Californian beach guys who deceives himself into thinking he is God’s gift to women. They don’t see it that way at all. However, as he goes through his day, disbelieving the fantastic story the teacher tells him, then trying to enlist police help, then indulging himself in some rough and tumble, having to hold up a store to get batteries for his cell phone (but leaves the money), tricking the criminals at LAX, warning the wrong man, falling from a roof, hijacking a car (twice) from a supercilious lawyer who deserves it, then involved in the final shootout, he does prove that he is God’s gift to the woman he has saved as well as her husband and son.
That is not the complete synopsis. In fact, there are several important twists along the way that keep audience attention until the end.
Kim Basinger is the teacher and has to experience physical pain as well as the desperation of trying to persuade the young man to help her and then keep him on the line. Chris Evans does a decent job as the surprised action hero. A bonus is William H. Macy as a policeman about to retire whose conscientiousness breaks the case open.
The action takes place over one day. What a day!
1.A satisfying thriller, police investigation? Corrupt police?
2.The Los Angeles settings, the cityscapes and the city being part of the character of the film? The homes, the streets, the airport, the beaches? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?
3.The structure, one day, the experience of Jessica and her son, of Ryan? The tension, the resolution?
4.The title, the reference to mobile phones, communication, the importance of cell phones in the US, their use, the immediacy of contact and communication, the reliance on batteries and their failing? The dangers?
5.Jessica, at home, her absent husband, getting Ricky ready for school, taking him, the maid and her work, the discussions about her being a science teacher? Her being abducted, the maid being shot? Her being taken to the room, alone, the breaking of the phone? Her ability to fix the phone? Her later scientific knowledge of biology and being able to wound her assailant? Her character, strength, bewilderment and not knowing what was happening and why?
6.Ricky at school, Ryan going in the afternoon to get him, his being abducted, kept by himself, the threats?
7.The background of the case, the husband, real estate agent, the video, his photographing the corrupt police and their murder, his putting the video in the vault? His being taken, the threats, the violence? The airport? Going in the car, going to the bank to get the video? With his wife and son, the common danger?
8.The gang, their killing their victim, the physical brutality, psychological pressure? Characters, the group, acting like thugs? The irony of their being police? The video, the drug deals? Money, ruthlessness? The respectable police officer, his being the boss, his being in the video? The policewoman pretending to be Jessica, the irony of the accent? The visit by the policeman, his remembering the accent, his getting into the house, the policewoman and her attack, her death? Jessica and the car, the escape, the driver, her attempting to garrotte him? The shooting?
9.Ryan, self-centred, the beach type, his girlfriend, her challenge, getting him to do the work? His taking the box, his friend and his helping him? The phone ringing, his disbelief and initial response to Jessica?
10.Jessica, her anxiety, contacting Ryan, her desperate attempts to persuade him of the truth? Ryan and his not believing, going to the police, giving the information but the police being distracted by the brawl in the precinct? The busy precinct? The boss, his knowing about the information? The information being lost in the busyness of the precinct?
11.Ryan, his ingenuity, the batteries running down, the hold-up of the store, its being photographed on the security videos? Going to the school, the confrontation with the security guard, taking his vehicle? The chase, the drama of near miss, the accident? The car-jack and the driver and his disbelief? Going to airport, his having the security guard’s gun, shrewdly putting it through the machine with the criminals’ coats? Warning the wrong man in the toilet? His losing the phone, going to the roof, the fight? Seeing the car that he had car-jacked, taking it again? On the beach, his attempt at disguise? The final confrontation, going into the water, swimming under the pier, the policeman coming to his rescue, the finale and the confrontation? The happy ending – and his wanting Jessica never to ring him?
12.William H. Macy as the ordinary policeman, twenty-seven years in the force, the plan for the beauty parlour, his relationship with his wife, with the boss, meeting Ryan, having the information? His concern, visiting the house, the policewoman pretending to be Jessica, watching the TV, getting the information, going to the house, his being shot at? The boss and his getting him to go to the pier, to identify Ryan? On the wharf, under the pier, the realisation of the truth about his boss, the gun, the fight? His achievement?
13.The boss, the drug dealings, police corruption, the gang?
14.The use of thriller conventions, abduction, the use of the mobile phones for communication? The overall effect as an action drama, police corruption drama, psychological thriller?
