Movie: Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022) Caution: Spoiler Alert

 Mr. Harrigan's Phone

Came out; 2022

Time; 1 hours 44 minutes

Watched: Netflix

Rating; PG-13 for thematic material, some language, violent content and brief drug material

IMDB Rating; 6/10

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring.

Donald Sutherland as Mr. Harrigan

Jaeden Martell as Craig

Joe Tippett as Craig's Dad

Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Mrs Hart

Frank Ridley as Reverend Mooney

Cyrus Arnold as Kenny Yankovich

Story Line.

Craig, a young boy living in a small town, befriends older, reclusive billionaire, Mr. Harrigan. The two form a bond over books and an iPhone, but when the man passes away, the boy discovers that not everything dead is gone, and finds himself able to communicate with his friend from the grave through the iPhone that was buried with him

Thoughts.

This movie has a very slow burn. It's not a bad movie but also not one that I would run to watch again either.

There is a still unanswered question after watching this movie, but it was good

CAUTION; Major Spoiler Alert

Young Craig becomes acquainted with retired businessman John Harrigan following the death of his mother, with instructions to simply read to him three times a week. Five years later, a teenage Craig and elderly Harrigan have become friends. During this time, Craig starts high school and becomes close to Ms. Hart, a teacher who comes to his aid when Kenny Yankovich, a school bully, attempts to intimidate him. After winning $3,000 from a lottery ticket that Harrigan gave him and receiving his first iPhone for Christmas, Craig buys Harrigan one too. Despite initial resistance to new technology, Harrigan greatly enjoys the phone.

Harrigan dies unexpectedly, leaving Craig heartbroken at the loss of his old friend. At the funeral, Craig sneaks Harrigan's phone into the coffin. He is then informed by Harrigan's associate that he was left a bequest in Harrigan's will. Craig will receive $800,000 in a trust fund, intended to support his future studies and pursuit of a writing career, which he had spoken to Harrigan about. Craig calls Harrigan's phone as a gesture of thanks. The next morning, Craig discovers that Harrigan sent him an odd text message, though his father chalks it up to being a bug within the iPhone itself.

Life goes on for Craig, who goes to a dance with his crush, only to be attacked by Kenny, who accuses Craig of getting him expelled from school. Later that night, Craig calls Harrigan's phone in a fit of frustration and sadness; he tells him he is "afraid that this won't end, and I wish that you were here just to give me some advice." Kenny is then found dead the next day, having apparently fallen from his bedroom window while attempting to sneak out. Scared by what happened, Craig goes to an Apple store, upgrades his phone to a newer model, and puts away his old one.

Craig eventually graduates from high school and departs for college in Boston, preparing to study journalism. While there, his father calls him to tell him Ms. Hart was killed in a car accident involving a drunk driver, leaving her fiancé hospitalized. The driver, Dean Whitmore, isn't charged for the accident and is instead sent to rehab. Infuriated by the outcome, Craig returns to his room and uses his old phone to call Harrigan, explicitly wishing death on Whitmore. After some time, Craig learns Whitmore was found dead in his shower. He drives to the rehab center and bribes a worker there to get more details about the suicide. He is told that Whitmore swallowed shampoo and a piece of broken soap bar. Craig is disturbed to learn that the soap is the same brand used by Ms. Hart, and Whitmore's suicide note is actually a lyric from the song "Stand by Your Man" by Tammy Wynette; Harrigan's ringtone.

Craig breaks down and returns to his hometown. From there, he sees Harrigan's "secret closet" (which Harrigan refused to let Craig enter) was actually a shrine to his deceased mother and visits Harrigan's gravestone, apologizing for his messages to Harrigan. He also theorizes that Harrigan's odd text messages to him are his way of begging Craig to let his spirit rest peacefully in Heaven and for Craig to move forward in the here and now. As he leaves Harrigan's grave, Craig visits his own mother's grave and collapses in tears, begging for forgiveness. Craig then rushes to the town quarry, first intending to commit suicide before deciding to throw his old phone into the river. As Craig walks away, he quietly narrates that when he himself passes on and is buried, he wants his pockets to be empty.