![Netflix’s “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” — Not The Worst Stephen King Adaptation To Come Out This Year [Review]](https://thathashtagshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/project_20221003_1016417-01-1200x640.png)
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE YET TO SEE MR. HARRIGAN’S PHONE, THIS IS A NON-SPOILER REVIEW.
It never fails that when a new Stephen King adaptation hits our screens, I boil up with excitement. Even though most of these films or series’ end up being a disappointment, there’s always a chance that we will get our next It, Misery, The Mist, or The Outsider. So, going into every adaptation, I am always optimistic for the best, but expect the worst. With Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, I was more wary than usual, since this was going direct to Netflix with little to no fanfare and was being helmed by a writer/director who is also known for more misses than hits, John Lee Hancock. What transpired was truly disheartening, as I loved the first forty minutes of this film and then it completely goes off the rails after that.
WHAT IS MR. HARRIGAN’S PHONE ALL ABOUT?
The movie begins, like in many of King’s works, with a lonely boy from Maine who is grappling with the death of his mother. One day, Craig is recruited by the reclusive and filthy rich Mr. Harrigan to come by his house three days a week to read classic novels to him. The two build a complicated relationship throughout the years, as Craig soaks in all of the old man’s wisdom and Harrigan receives companionship, in return. But, one day the boy finds Mr. Harrigan dead and he decides to put his cell phone in the casket with him during the burial. When Craig reaches out to him expecting no answer, he is shocked and frightened to receive a text message back. And as Craig’s life starts to unravel, Mr. Harrigan’s ghostly presence is there to pick up the pieces… with grave consequences.
IT STARTS OFF SO COMPELLING…
The first forty or so minutes of Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is all about building the relationship between Craig and the titular enigmatic man. While some might think this could be overkill, I believe it was imperative for Hancock to set up the foundation of this strange friendship, before diving headfirst into the actual plot of the film. During this first act, the movie explores so many interesting themes like the power of money and how it always comes at a cost, as well as the chokehold technology has on society and how it has ripped us from important things in life like reading and creating bonds with others.
The chemistry between the two leads is palpable, with Donald Sutherland proving once again his one-of-a-kind dynamic screen presence. I was so engaged with the relationship between Craig and Mr. Harrigan, and you can tell our writer/director John Lee Hancock, was as well… But, when the man passes and the supernatural plot comes into play, you can tell Hancock has no idea what to do with the material and it completely falls apart. And you can feel the absence of Sutherland, in every remaining frame.
AND THEN IT JUST FALLS APART.
All of the interesting themes raised in the first act, get muddled in the meandering narrative. No rules or mechanics are set up for how Harrigan is contacting Craig and how he is meddling in real-world affairs… This comes to a head when our protagonist miraculously (and frustratingly for the audience) solves the cryptic messages Harrigan is sending him, with zero explanation of how he did so. A third-act climax feels so very unearned because Hancock fails to build up a relationship with an integral character besides two obviously shoe-horned-in scenes. And just as the plot feels like it is gaining any kind of forward momentum, the film comes to a grinding halt. It all left with me this feeling, that nothing of real significance happened during the movie at all, after that first act.
HOW DOES THE WRITER/DIRECTOR HANDLE THE SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS?
It doesn’t help matters that Hancock, known for The Blind Side, Saving Mr. Banks, and The Little Things… has absolutely no handle on the parts of this story that make it a Stephen King staple. While he excels in the character-building in the first act, the spooky, thrilling, and psychological aspects of this supernatural plot seem beyond him. And Mr. Harrigan’s Phone feels crafted in a very TV-movie-like way, which although fitting for King’s work, is a let-down for anyone expecting something a little more cinematic. The fact that this is based on one of King’s short novellas is so apparent, especially in the latter half… As the script feels like it is stretched to its limits, attempting to bridge the gaps of the original story’s mere 88-pages with unnecessary filler. Though it works at padding the runtime, it doesn’t make for satisfying storytelling.
IS IT WORTH A WATCH?
Forty minutes into this film, I would have told you that this had the possibility of being one of the best Stephen King adaptations… I was utterly enthralled by the secrets of Mr. Harrigan and the fascinating relationship he shared with this young man. But, it ultimately led nowhere from there, so I have a hard time recommending it. If you are a Stephen King completist then, of course, you have to watch… and I do have to admit, although it’s not saying much, this isn’t the worst of the author’s adaptations this year.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone will be Streaming on Netflix on October 5th, 2022.
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