Mr. Harrigan (Sutherland), a wealthy man, engages Craig (Martell), a young guy, to read to him since his eyesight is failing as he ages. He is a thoroughly analogue man who does not possess a radio or a television, although occasionally enjoying his “Country Western” music in the automobile. Not only does he come to life when Craig reads books like Heart of Darkness, but also when they talk about the issues afterwards. It’s a crucial friendship for Craig and a nice ending for Mr. Harrigan, who undoubtedly hurt a few individuals in the process of moving up the corporate ladder.
Whether it’s confronting a high school bully or approaching a girl he likes, he exhorts Craig to be brutal and determined. He provides Craig assurance, and Craig offers him some solace in his later years.
He also receives a lottery ticket from Mr. Harrigan. Craig chooses to use some of the $3,000 he received from his scratch-off present to accompany the elderly guy to the iWorld. Mr. Harrigan initially objects, but then the youngster demonstrates how well-versed in business Harrigan is in keeping up with the market and breaking financial news. It doesn’t take long for Harrigan to get addicted to his phone, allowing Hancock and Sutherland to give a lecture that will make you roll your eyes about how dangerous it is to sacrifice reality for a smartphone. The movie turns into a preachy cautionary tale with direct messages that the original material didn’t require as Harrigan continues to talk about how these gadgets would be exploited for fake news and disinformation (he’s “frightened by this gizmo”).
In its original version, “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” serves more as a springboard for discussion about power and justice than it does as a literal story. See, after the elderly guy passes away, Craig places his brand-new phone in the coffin with him, and then, well, things start to happen. Without giving anything away, Craig leaves Mr. Harrigan notes that seem to have an affect on the outside world. With that type of power, what would you do?
The movie adaptation of “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” should serve as a cautionary tale for both the lead character and the audience
The movie adaptation of “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” should pose the question of how far we’re ready to go to make the world right for both its protagonist and the audience. This truly should be a tale about a young guy struggling with moral decisions on what to do with an impossibly powerful ability because if Mr. Harrigan had the power that Craig ultimately possesses, he would have utilised it in evil ways. It just about manages to become that in the concluding act, but getting there is such a tedious struggle.
The concepts that King experiments with in “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” have a lot of potential
Maybe this is just another example of how not everything that works on paper will translate well on the big screen. Yes, it seems like this might have worked better as an episode in a horror anthology series as opposed to a full-length film. It’s tempting to say that because it’s based on a novella, there isn’t quite enough meat on its bones in this form. It also seems like a more ambitious director might have developed the film’s concepts and idea rather than merely dragging them down with moralising about technology. Without maintaining such a straight face, someone else may have enlarged the universe of the novella.