First Time Caller

A slow burn evaluation of masculine grandstanding until it isn't, First Time Caller is smart, tight, and stylish. The pacing takes a sudden turn at the same time as the narrative. Watching this at home alone will make you feel grateful to be spared from the company of this kind of asshole, then make you send a series of "you up?"/"you ok?"/"you know I love you, right?" texts with acute awareness of your isolation. Bitingly funny but unrelentingly chilling, Goldfarb and the team behind First Time Caller present an extremely fun and absurdly clever hour and 15. Must-see indie horror that does a great job of keeping you hooked despite the fact that we hang out with one guy having a very bad day in his basement the whole time.

First of all, let me say that I loved this movie. Really well done, well written, well delivered. That being said, it's basically one dude, sitting in one room, talking on the phone. Something this simple is not going to please everyone. For perspective, I also loved Pontypool and Man From Earth, both movies that could have just as easily been audio plays. Much like First Time Caller could have been.

But, wow, for something so simple to actually engage my interest so well! My hat off to you! *Chef's Kiss* I've seen a lot of films try and pull this off, but few have done it so well. I often avoid these types of movie. In fact, when I started this one, I intended it as merely background noise, while I got other stuff done. Let's just say that that stuff never got done.