The Call (2013)

A 911 operator (Halle Berry) becomes traumatized when she fails to prevent the murder of a teen age girl when a prowler breaks into her home. Unsure of herself, she becomes a teacher for 911 trainees rather than an operator. But when a trainee is unable to handle the call of a teen age girl (Abigail Breslin, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) abducted by a psychopath and locked in a car trunk, it becomes a race against time as Berry attempts to help the girl before the psychopath reaches his destination. The idea of Halle Berry in yet another routine thriller no doubt sounds unappealing but surprise surprise ..... until it's last third, this is an intense exciting edge of your seat thriller. The director Brad Anderson puts the screws on and doesn't let up for a minute and plays the audience like an expert. Alas, it can't sustain itself and when the last third descends into SILENCE OF THE LAMBS territory, it becomes a been there, done that finale. Which doesn't mean it's not effective, it is but it's disappointing that they couldn't keep up the momentum. Still, it's not enough to ruin a perfectly decent thriller. And where have I been when Abigail Breslin grew up? With Morris Chestnut, Michael Eklund, Michael Imperioli and Roma Maffia.