We’re back with a new film review, this time about the 2020 thriller ‘The Call’. If you like interesting plays on time travel, stick around!
‘The Call’ is a film directed by Lee Chung-hyun. This is his first time directing a film and I have to say, I’m pretty impressed. The story is based on the 2011 British/Puerto Rican production ‘The Caller’.
Plot
The story revolves around two women. The first woman, Kim Seo-yeon lives in 2019 and has just returned to her childhood home. She loses her phone on the train and finds an old cordless phone and starts using it. Surprisingly it immediately starts ringing.
Kim Seo-yeon is played by Park Shin-Hye who you’ll know from series like ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Memories of the Alhambra’ and movies like ‘#Alive’ and ‘The Beauty Inside’.
When Kim Seo-yeon picks up the ringing phone, Oh Young-Sook who lives in the same house but in 1999 starts speaking. They start a tentative friendship, Seo-yeon shares information from 2019 like the new songs the boy group Seo Taiji and Boys that Young-Sook is a big fan of.
Oh Young-Sook is played by Jun Jong-Seo who’s an up-and-coming new actress. For this movie she won Best Actress at the 57th BaekSang Awards.
Kim Seo-yeon and Oh Young-Sook start manipulating time. Young-Sook, at the behest of Seo-yeon, saves the father of a house fire. As soon as Young-Sook turns off the stove, the father comes back to life in 2019 and changes Seo-yeon’s situation drastically.
On the other side, Seo-yeon helps Young-Sook escape her death at the hands of her stepmother. However, things start to get tense as Young-Sook starts behaving more erratically.
Overall
‘The Call’ is a very good, thrilling film that will keep you at the edge of your seat. The concept of ‘phone time travel’ isn’t necessarily new. I’m thinking of series like ‘Signal’ and ‘Kairos’, however this is so well done!
It’s a really cool watch and will definitely keep you entertained. The performances are outstanding and the switch from strangers to friends to enemies is super cool to watch.
If you get a phone call from 1999, don’t pick up.
You can watch the trailer here. The film is available to watch on Netflix.
