Parents' Guide to

The Call

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Gripping thriller has tons of violence directed at a teen.

Movie R 2013 94 minutes
The Call Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 15+

Based on 10 parent reviews

Esumlin
Esumlin Adult
January 14, 2022
age 18+

Thriller turned disturbing horror

I watched this movie recently with my roommates. The first half of the movie is great! Thriller on every level, exciting, chaotic, and intense. Then the kidnapper goes down into his “lair” and I wish I had stopped watching the movie. It is disturbing beyond comprehension. I can’t even repeat what is in this film. It’s so dark that even I would have never thought of the evil in it in my pure innocent mind. And now my brain is terrified because I can’t ever get that out of my brain again. I’m not being dramatic, I am dead serious. Do not watch this film. Every night I go to sleep thinking about the second part, trying to shut it out, wishing I hadn’t watched it. What screenplay writer can think of this himself? It’s sickening. So sickening and the images and scenes play over and over in my head. Don’t watch it and spare yourself. You are better not knowing.

This title has:

Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
Lila D.
Lila D. Parent of 11 and 16-year-old
May 26, 2023
age 11+

My review.

I think it is ok for a mature 11 year old, maybe 12. It should be watched with a adult, and should be looked at by the adult first.

This title has:

Too much swearing
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Jordan (Halle Berry) is a very good 911 operator ... until she gets a call from a teen girl reporting a prowler. Jordan makes a small error of judgment, and the girl ends up killed. Six months later, a shaken Jordan is working away from the phones, teaching trainees the ropes. But when a call from a frantic kidnapped girl, Casey (Abigail Breslin), comes in, Jordan overcomes her fear and takes over. She uses all her skills and training to try to find Casey -- who's locked in the trunk of a car -- before it's too late. But, to Jordan's horror, she eventually realizes that the kidnapper is the same man who killed the other girl.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10):
Kids say (30):

THE CALL is a high-concept thriller that certainly has the potential to self-destruct, especially when it dives into totally implausible territory during its final stretch. But genre specialist Brad Anderson (Session 9, The Machinist, Transsiberian) gives it a taut, low-budget energy that keeps it pulsing throughout its entire running time. It helps that both Berry and Breslin give tense, emotionally raw performances, inviting viewers to really care about their characters.

Anderson occasionally delves into moments of pure horror, complete with odd angles and off-kilter rhythms. Specifically, the serial killer elements seem fairly strong for a thriller of this type, but they don't ruin the overall effect. Indeed, the movie is so effectively constructed that it recalls enormous hits of decades past like Fatal Attraction and The Silence of the Lambs. If only Berry's character had seen these movies, she could have sharpened up the ending a bit.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Call's intense violence. How did it affect you? Do you think the story could have been told with milder violence?

  • Why do you think there are so many movies (and other types of media) about serial killers? Why are we so fascinated by them?

  • Do you feel that the teen characters were sexualized in any way? If so, do you feel this was acceptable or unacceptable? Why?

  • What's the movie's take on revenge? Do you think it's realistic? Justifiable?

Movie Details

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