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When a Stranger Calls

Play trailer 2:14 Poster for When a Stranger Calls PG-13 2006 1h 27m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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8% Tomatometer 91 Reviews 44% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Far away from the site of a gruesome murder, a teenager named Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) arrives at a luxurious home for a baby-sitting job. With the children fast asleep, she settles in for what she expects to be an ordinary evening. Soon, the ringing of a phone and the frightening words of a sadistic caller turn Jill's routine experience into a night of terror.
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When a Stranger Calls

When a Stranger Calls

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Critics Consensus

When a Stranger Calls ranks among the more misguided remakes in horror history, offering little more than a rote, largely fright-free update to the original.

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Critics Reviews

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Nigel Floyd Time Out 06/24/2006
If you've seen either Black Christmas or Halloween, there's nothing new here: the hyped-up score keeps telling us we ought to be scared, but the suspense feels mechanical and fake. Go to Full Review Matthew Leyland BBC.com 05/16/2006
2/5
You know a horror movie's in trouble when the fake scares outweigh the real ones. Go to Full Review Robert Hanks Independent (UK) 05/13/2006
2/5
I can't help feeling that this updating could have been a little more imaginative -- the only wrinkle on the basic plot is that it uses mobile phones. Go to Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 9
2/5
There's something nostalgic and comforting about a teen-oriented 2000s studio horror movie, but I wouldn't say that "good" is an adjective to toss in there to describe this. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 08/11/2021
C+
Middling suspense tale. Go to Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed 04/29/2009
It's a safe dumb film for safe dumb audiences. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sarah M @RT84798007 Mar 16 I like this movie a lot for the plot. It’s simple, yet effective! Good watch if you need something to watch with the boyfriend/gf. Love it! See more Trevor S @PopcornPopper Feb 5 It hit different watching it as a teenager. It’s a great film for viewers with little to no thriller/horror watching. A good beginner chill and thrill. See more Daniel L @RT24087858 Jan 19 Really like this remake. No idea why it has such terrible scores. It's well made and well written. Plus Camilla Belle is crazy hot as the babysitter. See more TheMovieSearch R @TheMovieSearch Dec 30 When a Stranger Calls is a remake that has been unfairly dismissed over the years. While it doesn’t reinvent the premise, it understands the power of simplicity and atmosphere. The fear here isn’t monsters or gore, but isolation, silence, and the terrifying idea that someone is already inside your home. That concept alone carries much of the tension. The film does a solid job building unease through long stretches of quiet, eerie phone calls, and the growing realization that the threat is closer than expected. The direction is restrained, sometimes to a fault, but it allows suspense to simmer instead of relying on nonstop jump scares. The screenplay could have used sharper escalation and a few stronger payoffs, as some moments feel like missed opportunities. Still, the movie remains effective because it feels plausible. Home invasion horror hits differently when it feels real, and this film leans into that realism. Performances are serviceable See more Pinoy Short R @emill_santos Oct 31 Sakto lang. Napanuod ko na sya dati & inulit lang uli ngayon nung makita sa Netflix. Slow burn sya at hindi para sa mga mainipin. Effective naman un mga gulatan pero ngayon ko lang napagtanto na ang tamad, parang kahoy umakting nung bidang babae See more Melissa L @Agent99 Oct 20 The original movie from the '70s will always be a classic, but this remake isn't half bad. It had some tense moments. See more Read all reviews
When a Stranger Calls

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Cast & Crew

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Simon West

Director

Camilla Belle

Jill Johnson

Tommy Flanagan

The Stranger

Tessa Thompson

Scarlet

Brian Geraghty

Bobby

Derek de Lint

Dr. Mandrakis

Movie Clips

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When a Stranger Calls

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Death in the Shadows When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Death in the Shadows 2:08 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Trapped in the Greenhouse When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Trapped in the Greenhouse 2:27 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Driven to Madness When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Driven to Madness 2:24 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - The Guest House When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - The Guest House 2:17 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Have You Checked the Children? When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Have You Checked the Children? 2:39 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Nowhere to Run When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Nowhere to Run 2:47 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Fighting the Stranger When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Fighting the Stranger 1:52 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - What Do You Want? When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - What Do You Want? 2:26 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Missing Maid When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Missing Maid 2:21 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Car Won't Start When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Car Won't Start 2:43 View more videos

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When a Stranger Calls

When a Stranger Calls: Trailer 1 When a Stranger Calls: Trailer 1 2:14 View more videos
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When a Stranger Calls

A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Far away from the site of a gruesome murder, a teenager named Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) arrives at a luxurious home for a baby-sitting job. With the children fast asleep, she settles in for what she expects to be an ordinary evening. Soon, the ringing of a phone and the frightening words of a sadistic caller turn Jill's routine experience into a night of terror.
Director
Simon West
Producer
John Davis, Ken Lemberger, Wyck Godfrey
Screenwriter
Jake Wade Wall
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
Screen Gems, Davis Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Some Language|Intense Terror|Violence)
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 3, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$47.9M
Runtime
1h 27m
Sound Mix
SDDS, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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