When a Stranger Calls

Play trailer

2:14

When a Stranger Calls

PG-13

2006

1h 27m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

8%

Tomatometer

91 Reviews

44%

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Nigel Floyd

Time Out

06/24/2006

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.

Go to Full Review

Matthew Leyland

BBC.com

05/16/2006

2/5

You know a horror movie's in trouble when the fake scares outweigh the real ones.

Go to Full Review

Robert Hanks

Independent (UK)

05/13/2006

2/5

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.

Go to Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 9

2/5

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.

Go to Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

08/11/2021

C+

Middling suspense tale.

Go to Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

04/29/2009

It's a safe dumb film for safe dumb audiences.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Sarah M

@RT84798007 Mar 16

I like this movie a lot for the plot. It’s simple, yet effective! Good watch if you need something to watch with the boyfriend/gf. Love it!

See more

Trevor S

@PopcornPopper Feb 5

It hit different watching it as a teenager. It’s a great film for viewers with little to no thriller/horror watching. A good beginner chill and thrill.

See more

Daniel L

@RT24087858 Jan 19

Really like this remake. No idea why it has such terrible scores. It's well made and well written. Plus Camilla Belle is crazy hot as the babysitter.

See more

TheMovieSearch R

@TheMovieSearch Dec 30

When a Stranger Calls is a remake that has been unfairly dismissed over the years. While it doesn’t reinvent the premise, it understands the power of simplicity and atmosphere. The fear here isn’t monsters or gore, but isolation, silence, and the terrifying idea that someone is already inside your home. That concept alone carries much of the tension. The film does a solid job building unease through long stretches of quiet, eerie phone calls, and the growing realization that the threat is closer than expected. The direction is restrained, sometimes to a fault, but it allows suspense to simmer instead of relying on nonstop jump scares. The screenplay could have used sharper escalation and a few stronger payoffs, as some moments feel like missed opportunities. Still, the movie remains effective because it feels plausible. Home invasion horror hits differently when it feels real, and this film leans into that realism. Performances are serviceable

See more

Pinoy Short R

@emill_santos Oct 31

Sakto lang. Napanuod ko na sya dati & inulit lang uli ngayon nung makita sa Netflix. Slow burn sya at hindi para sa mga mainipin. Effective naman un mga gulatan pero ngayon ko lang napagtanto na ang tamad, parang kahoy umakting nung bidang babae

See more

Melissa L

@Agent99 Oct 20

The original movie from the '70s will always be a classic, but this remake isn't half bad. It had some tense moments.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Simon West

Director

Camilla Belle

Jill Johnson

Tommy Flanagan

The Stranger

Tessa Thompson

Scarlet

Brian Geraghty

Bobby

Derek de Lint

Dr. Mandrakis

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Death in the Shadows

2:08

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Trapped in the Greenhouse

2:27

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Driven to Madness

2:24

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - The Guest House

2:17

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Have You Checked the Children?

2:39

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Nowhere to Run

2:47

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Fighting the Stranger

1:52

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - What Do You Want?

2:26

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Missing Maid

2:21

When a Stranger Calls: Official Clip - Car Won't Start

2:43

View more videos

The Messengers

11%

44%

The Messengers

Watchlist

The Uninvited

31%

49%

The Uninvited

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Uninvited

The Covenant

4%

62%

The Covenant

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Covenant

The Skeleton Key

38%

58%

The Skeleton Key

Watchlist

The Grudge 2

12%

40%

The Grudge 2

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Box Office Guru Preview: Montana Hopes to Win Super Bowl Trophy

Box Office Guru Preview: Comedy vs. Cannibals at the Multiplexes

Box Office Guru Wrapup: "Messengers" Scores Slim Win Over Super Bowl Weekend

When a Stranger Calls: Trailer 1

2:14

View more videos

View more photos

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)

Most Popular at Home Now