On Wednesday, “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone,” the latest adaption from the works of Stephen King, arrived on Netflix. Directed by John Lee Hancock, the film is based on a novella from King’s “If It Bleeds.” What starts as a strong coming-of-age story and a reflection on the dangers born of the iPhone generation quickly fizzles with the passing of the film’s namesake, Mr. Harrigan.
The film follows a young boy named Craig, first played by Colin O’Brien and then Jaeden Martell, after he is hired to read to a reclusive aging billionaire by the name of Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland), who can no longer read to himself due to his failing eyesight. Over the years, the two bond over the books, and as Craig enters his teenage years, he looks to Mr. Harrigan for advice. After receiving one for his birthday and winning a large chunk of money from a lottery scratcher, Craig buys the billionaire an iPhone, as a means for the two to stay connected, but also to help Mr. Harrigan better manage his finances. But when Mr. Harrigan passes away, Craig discovers that while Mr. Harrigan may be gone, his spirit may be continuing to communicate via his iPhone.
The best part of Director John Lee Hancock’s adaptation is the first half of the film, where we get to see the relationship develop between Mr. Harrigan and Craig. The chemistry between the two actors on screen feels genuine, and the shift from Colin O’Brien to Jaeden Martell as Craig has us literally seeing Craig’s character come of age right before our eyes, transitioning from a lonely little boy to a slightly less lonely, and eventually more confident young man. This relationship is fun to watch grow, but with the passing of Mr. Harrigan, the film seems to lose a bit of its steam, which is unfortunate because the second half is the part that introduces the film’s supernatural element.
While Martell’s Craig is enjoyable to watch, he alone is not enough to carry the second half of the film. With the back and forth between Craig and Mr. Harrigan swapped for a call and response via cryptic text messages from beyond, the moral lessons Craig learns just don’t feel like they carry the same weight as the lessons bestowed upon the character from the living Harrigan. And while Craig gets to a place where he faces his moral dilemmas head-on, the path to get there feels much less significant than the events in the first half of the film.
Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell together were the tentpole of this feature, and unfortunately, without Sutherland, the second half of the film just doesn’t hold up as well. If this film was just about the unconventional relationship between two lonely souls who find one another at the perfect time, you’d have a solid film. Unfortunately, it’s not. “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” was an enjoyable enough watch that if you need something new to stream, it’s definitely worth checking out. But I wouldn’t prioritize it if you have other things queued up you’ve been wanting to watch.
