Call Me

One day the measured everyday life of a girl working as a journalist in one of the publishing houses is interrupted by a strange call. For some obscure reason, she, without any ulterior motive, takes the stranger for her friend, with whom she has a rather contradictory relationship. Starting from this, at first glance, insignificant detail, the further cycle of events begins. At the insistence of the caller she arrives at a nearby bar and becomes a witness to a spontaneous murder. Then there is a generally typical set for any simple thriller - a corrupt policeman, dark streets of an average city somewhere in the USA, a friend who will always give a couple of useful (and not so useful) pieces of advice, indifferent colleagues, as well as a couple of moderately colorful criminal elements. In essence could have finished here, but some components of this picture taken separately allow it to stand out a little against the background of numerous, often completely faceless, brothers in the genre, which especially gained popularity in the second half of the eighties and the following nineties of the twentieth century.

Probably everyone knows the combination of good cop - bad cop. Here is a more unusual layout using the example of the «other side of the barricades». The first figure is the melancholic, taciturn and thoughtful Stephen McHattie, who dyed his hair a slightly acid-blond color. The second is an unbalanced psychopath in a leather jacket, occasionally (and without) waving a switchblade and wearing slicked-back hair, aka Steve Buscemi in one of his early roles, several years before Tarantino's creation, which made him famous to a certain extent. This explosive combination of incompatible opposites needs to find the wayward person at all costs, not without difficulty maneuvering in the discrepancies between plans and approaches to solving this, as it turns out later, not the easiest task.

In addition, as the action progresses, the three main characters mentioned will continue to be accompanied by a mysterious lover of frank conversations, the final alignment with whom will be revealed from an unusual side only closer to the end, as well as, acting as a kind of separate actor, the brick gateways of New York.

As a result it can be noted that watching the twists and turns of all the mentioned elements turns out to be quite interesting, therefore a positive review and a rating relevant to the genre specifics of category "B" thrillers.

****SPOILERS**** Somewhat disjointed but never really boring movie about a big city magazine journalist getting a phone call one afternoon and by thinking that the person on the other end of the line is her boyfriend Alex, Sam Freed. Thus, what seems to me, encourages the caller who may very well have not planned to at first to become more daring and bold then he should or would have been.

Asking Anne, Patricia Charbonneau,to meet him at a local watering hole "The Polish Bar" where instead of finding her boyfriend Alex Anne witnesses the murder of a transvestite Presser, John Seitz, by a corrupt police detective Henyk, Olek Krupa. It turns out that the transvestites partner and possibly lover Switchblade, Steve Buscemi, ripped off Det.Henyk as well as his boss, Ernest Abuba of their monthly take. Switchblade's other partner who was in the bar when all this happened Jellybean, Stephen McHattie, had no idea that Switchblade was involved in robbing his boss as well as Det. Henyk who was working for him. Determined to get their money back the hoods deduced that Anna was the one who took the cash since she was in the ladies room at the time when Presser, the transvestite, was murdered and left the bar right after that.

The rest of the movie is about Det. Henyk and Jellybean trying to find who the woman is that was with the transvestite at the time of his murder to retrieve their money that they thought that she had. Switchblade also tries to find her but not to get the money that he knew that she didn't have, he did, but to have her silenced so his partners would not suspect that he was involved in robbing them.

While all this is happening Anna keeps getting phone calls from her "secret admirer" who not only seems to know everything about her but also seems to be watching her from one of the nearby buildings. Instead of hanging up or calling the police Anna gets so heated up and turned on by the callers phone calls that when Alex catches her in one of those conversations he finds Anna more aroused with the caller on the phone then she ever was with Alex in bed. Alex hurt and humiliated at what he sees, and hears, there and then put and end to his relationship with Anna.

Later in the movie when Anna does find out just who this "fishy" admirer who's been calling her really is after she had a one-night stand with him in bed not on the phone. Angrily dumping the slippery eel Anna leaves him all wet for all the trouble that he caused her. Later the "fishy guy" quickly redeems himself by saving Anna's life from both Det. Henyk and Switchblade who found out who she was and where she lived but at the cost of his own life.

In the end it turned out that Jellybean the other hood who was completely left out in the cold about what was really going on around him by his cheating partner Switchblade ended up being the man that Anna liked most. As the closing credits started to roll Jellybean seemed to have started some kind of relationship with her which also looks like the start of a beautiful friendship.

Very creepy movie that tries to be Hitchcockien with it's characters and Film Noir with it's story but "Call Me" is just too unconvincing to be taken seriously either way.

A film you really don't enjoy. The premise is very odd, mostly about a series of obscene phone calls a woman has been receiving, she also finds herself being hunted by thugs after getting mixed up in a murder, though throughout the movie the thugs are utterly useless, it's almost laughable how inept they are. The main character also makes so many bad choices in the movie it's so frustrating, it also doesn't help you're so far ahead of her. The characters are very tiresome and the pacing drags a lot too. The film has a weary toughness to it, and makes some good use of its gritty urban locations but I can't recommend this film.

The reviews on this seem to be fairly low which are probably unfair if you know what this movie is and what it isn't. Because what it isn't is softcore pornography which judging by the poster would be an easy mistake to make, but then again these people should be looking for their kicks elsewhere.

This is the story about a women who is getting dirty phone calls and then decides to meet the person making them, as she wrongly assumes its her boyfriend. When he doesn't show up she witnesses a murder and has to deal with the fallout, as money has gone missing.

This is definitely a female centric movie, being from the perspective of the main character but also from the male characters. Although they are fairly one dimensional the narrative does well to string you along in terms of guessing as to the motivation of most of the men around the lead. Also there are some erotic elements to the movie however they are likely more pleasing to a female audience. Hence the low scores from disappointed guys. There isn't much to fault this movie, which comes across as a slightly higher budget Red Shoe Diaries episode, with some crime/murder thrown in. Although you do get Steve Buscemi in a typical sleazy type role he is known for. So you cant really slate the quality on show. If anything guys may be puzzled at some of the main characters decision making but this is female written. Add some 1980s saxophone playing for no reason and some night shots of the city and you have this movie. Watchable as long as you don't expect lots of sex scenes aimed at men.

Diverting and fun, with a few thrills thrown in. Mixes two plot lines cleverly, if with a little too much coincidence! Very atmospheric with hidden corners of New York City, especially at night. A really cool, nicely executed look - sort of film noir in color. Good work by the DP and production & costume designers. (look at all the oranges & blues)

Fun cast - young Steve Buscemi, David Strathairn, Boyd Gaines (double Tony winner on B'way!), Patti D'Arbanville. Patricia Charbonneau is attractive in the lead, and Stephen McHattie is coolly creepy as the chief baddie.

Not great, but a solid B movie - a guilty pleasure. (It's even a little erotic - but watch out for strong language, if you're squeamish about 'bad' sex words.)