Weekly Review -- Happy Halloween

The Caller (2011) -- In this era of violence without context and gore without mercy, rare are the thriller and horror films that actually make the viewer think and that emphasize atmosphere above all else. Such precious gems are they, that locating one by word of mouth or word of review makes it double the fun to watch and savor. The Caller is one of those underrated chillers that I was lucky enough to hear about.

As someone I know once said, "When a stranger calls, don't answer", and never does this adage prove to be more true than in regard to this Matthew Parkhill terror piece. After divorcee Mary Kee (Rachelle Lefevre) moves into her new place, she starts getting phone calls from Rose (Lorna Raver), a rather lonely and apparently very kooky lady. Practically in hiding from her abusive ex-husband and on her way to a happier existence, Mary sees no harm in simply chatting to the woman. When Rose starts claiming that she is calling from 1979, though, Mary quickly puts an end to the exchanges, leaving Rose far from pleased...

The film relies on sounds, eye-catching cinematography and extremely innovative camerawork to convey Mary's anxiety and depression. I love the fact that it was shot in Puerto Rico in its entirety, since the exotic locations contribute to a sense of the unexpected, a feeling of warm comfort that can be transformed into heart-arresting upheaval at any minute. Its usage of faded and almost impenetrable spaces reminded me of Brad Anderson's The Machinist, with the isolated dreariness depicted as part of the principal character's saga from the beginning. In fact, Mary does have nowhere to go, her life having seemingly become so small that Rose's call coming from a different era is almost ironic. Sure, there are some obvious questions, like why on Earth Mary would want to get involved in some type of time travel rant, especially with the kind of problems she is already dealing with; still, it is easy to understand the character's curiosity and desire for distraction. The phone call element is an interesting rumination on the ever-increasing isolation of modern life, with the true nature of the calls making the inception of Mary and Rose's conversations that much more frightening and bringing to mind the 2001 masterpiece Pulse.

The acting is soulful and solid throughout. Lefevre shows a different side of her acting chops, moving convincingly from Mary's fear of her ex to utter bewilderment at Rose's insistence. Stephen Moyer is endearing as a new love interest and, after Drag Me to Hell and this film, Raver is cornering the market on unhinged women that you do not want to mess with.

The Caller is a film you will be glad to have discovered. It will leave you pondering its twists and turns, possibly even re-watching it to see if you could have detected certain quirks early on. It is one of those films that uncovers its layers gradually, without pomp, without clichéd and tiresome effects. It does not rely on the usual scare techniques because hey, it does not have to -- the sight of that phone and the knowledge of what may be on the other line is bloodcurdling enough.

8/10