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When a Stranger Calls

Play trailer 2:14 Poster for When a Stranger Calls PG-13 2006 1h 27m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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8% Tomatometer 91 Reviews 43% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Far away from the site of a gruesome murder, a teenager named Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) arrives at a luxurious home for a baby-sitting job. With the children fast asleep, she settles in for what she expects to be an ordinary evening. Soon, the ringing of a phone and the frightening words of a sadistic caller turn Jill's routine experience into a night of terror.
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When a Stranger Calls

When a Stranger Calls

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Critics Consensus

When a Stranger Calls ranks among the more misguided remakes in horror history, offering little more than a rote, largely fright-free update to the original.

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Critics Reviews

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Nigel Floyd Time Out If you've seen either Black Christmas or Halloween, there's nothing new here: the hyped-up score keeps telling us we ought to be scared, but the suspense feels mechanical and fake. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Matthew Leyland BBC.com You know a horror movie's in trouble when the fake scares outweigh the real ones. Rated: 2/5 May 16, 2006 Full Review Robert Hanks Independent (UK) I can't help feeling that this updating could have been a little more imaginative -- the only wrinkle on the basic plot is that it uses mobile phones. Rated: 2/5 May 13, 2006 Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh There's something nostalgic and comforting about a teen-oriented 2000s studio horror movie, but I wouldn't say that "good" is an adjective to toss in there to describe this. Rated: 2/5 Sep 9, 2025 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Middling suspense tale. Rated: C+ Aug 11, 2021 Full Review Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed It's a safe dumb film for safe dumb audiences. Apr 29, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Aluna U “When a Stranger Calls” is a psychological thriller remake that offers a tense and engaging storyline, effectively building suspense through strong acting and solid cinematography. However, the film struggles with several plot inconsistencies and unrealistic character decisions that may leave viewers questioning its logic. Despite its flaws, the movie remains an entertaining choice for fans of suspenseful thrillers. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) and (English version : uwiepuspita.com) Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/29/25 Full Review Kathy H The 1979 original wasn’t the greatest thriller ever made- far from it- but it was a damn sight better than this scare free turkey. Still, I’ll give the remake one thing- the house she’s babysitting in is gorgeous. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/22/25 Full Review Audience Member i mean, i turned it off 55 mins in. me letting it go past 30 mins was me having grace. i’ve never seen a ‘horror’ film as horrible as this one. all that breathing she could’ve blown up a cluster lf balloons for a child’s birthday party. i mean really, why would she call the guest house ? he doesnt answer yet the light is on, its clearly the man bothering you; so you tell him you’ve called the police ??????? Un release this movie asap Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/04/25 Full Review Tom M This had promise. I thought the direction in some places and cinematography were alright. The house in the woods had a great design. The idea of an anonymous killer outside and inside the house introduces the tension. But...it wasn't very scary. Not good for a horror-thriller, to be honest. Don't call us! Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 05/13/25 Full Review Federico D No es una obra de arte ni pretende serlo pero, ¿8% por parte de los críticos? Definitivamente no es, ni de cerca, tan mala como la ponen. Repetitiva, derivativa y cero creativa, sí; pero la atmósfera, el tono y la nostalgia la salvan un poco, para mí. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/25 Full Review Diego O El que escribio esta película de seguro no sabe nada de psicópatas o asesinos. Es tan mediocre que no puedes dejar de cuestionarte las incuerencias dentro de la narrativa de la película. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 12/06/24 Full Review Read all reviews
When a Stranger Calls

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Cast & Crew

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Simon West

Director

Camilla Belle

Jill Johnson

Tommy Flanagan

The Stranger

Tessa Thompson

Scarlet

Brian Geraghty

Bobby

Derek de Lint

Dr. Mandrakis

Movie Clips

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When a Stranger Calls

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Death in the Shadows When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Death in the Shadows 2:08 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Trapped in the Greenhouse When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Trapped in the Greenhouse 2:27 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Driven to Madness When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Driven to Madness 2:24 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Have You Checked the Children? When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Have You Checked the Children? 2:39 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - The Guest House When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - The Guest House 2:17 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Nowhere to Run When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Nowhere to Run 2:47 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Fighting the Stranger When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Fighting the Stranger 1:52 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - What Do You Want? When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - What Do You Want? 2:26 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Missing Maid When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Missing Maid 2:21 When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Car Won't Start When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Car Won't Start 2:43 View more videos

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When a Stranger Calls

When a Stranger Calls: Trailer 1 When a Stranger Calls: Trailer 1 2:14 View more videos
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When a Stranger Calls

A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." A scene from the film "When a Stranger Calls." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Far away from the site of a gruesome murder, a teenager named Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) arrives at a luxurious home for a baby-sitting job. With the children fast asleep, she settles in for what she expects to be an ordinary evening. Soon, the ringing of a phone and the frightening words of a sadistic caller turn Jill's routine experience into a night of terror.
Director
Simon West
Producer
John Davis, Ken Lemberger, Wyck Godfrey
Screenwriter
Jake Wade Wall
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
Screen Gems, Davis Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Some Language|Intense Terror|Violence)
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 3, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$47.9M
Runtime
1h 27m
Sound Mix
SDDS, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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