This is the wackiest Stephen King movie. Such a waste of time! Mr. Harrigan’s Phone has an amazing trailer and great cast. So much could have been done with the premise. A young man is befriended by a wealthy old man who continues to communicate with him after passing away. This is one among many botched King adaptations in the last decade.

Starring Jaeden Martell from IT and IT: Chapter Two fame, Donald Sutherland and Joe Tippett. Craig (Martell) is a lonely, sad kid with a boring routine life in a dreary town. He is targeted by Mr. Harrigan (Sutherland) and employed to read him famous books of literature. The movie takes place in the early 2000s when smart phones grew in popularity.

The chemistry between the two is innocent and realistic. However, that’s the only interesting part of the film. Potential plot points are introduced and fizzle out immediately. The story fails to provide any real stakes or despair for the main character. Besides being bullied by a kid in school that looks like a 40-year-old emo, Craig doesn’t embark on a journey or call to adventure. Things tend to happen without consequence.

He is linked to the death of a few people that are very unlikeable. They aren’t given much screen time or duality, so it’s no reason to care what happens to them. His motive for seeking vengeance is shallow and stereotypical for the shy, awkward kid who is scared to take up for himself. No action set pieces, monsters, or kill sequences. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone barely earned a 4.5 out of 10.

Subscribe to The Story Monster newsletter to receive updates on new reviews and podcasts.