Lifeline – Movie Review (3/5)

LIFELINE is a new supernatural mystery thriller. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was intrigued by the plot and always enjoy watching Josh Stewart who stars in this. It feels oddly familiar but only in good ways. Read our full Lifeline movie review here!

LIFELINE (2025) is a supernatural mystery thriller starring Josh Stewart and Judah Lewis in a co-starring role. I am always happy to see either, so with both actors leading the cast of this genre movie, I was ready for something good. Also, the runtime is just 80 minutes, so it offers tight storytelling.

As the movie began, it wasn’t long before I felt it was somehow familiar. However, and this is the key, it was never in any bad way. Quite the opposite. It reminded me of movies I love that have stayed with me for various reasons. Also, to be clear, this is entirely its own thing.

Continue reading our Lifeline movie review below. Find it in select theaters and on digital from February 21, 2025.

No one knows you like yourself

The tagline of Lifeline is “No one knows you like yourself” and this is the first clue of the direction this story will take. We meet Steven Thomas as he heads to work as a volunteer at a suicide hotline. He’s working as a late-night suicide hotline operator which obviously means many disturbing calls.

However, one call will quickly stand out. The young man calling the hotline (which is called “Life Line”) claims to share his name. The two Stevens have a lot more in common and it appears this person calling in is actually Steven Thomas as well. Just a younger version.

The younger Steven Thomas (Judah Lewis) knows all sorts of personal details that no one else knows, which both scares, angers, and intrigues the adult Steven Thomas (Josh Stewart).

Of course, the young Steven is calling this hotline because he plans on taking his own life at midnight. With very little time, the adult Steven has to figure out what it all means. Especially as his current world seems to crumble whenever things start going south.

Could both their lives somehow be on the line this evening?

Can you save yourself?

In the most simple way, Lifeline is about saving yourself and healing childhood trauma. That would certainly be the quick plot description that does the actual story absolutely no justice. There is a lot more to Lifeline, which reminded me of both Frequency and The Guilty.

It reminded me of Frequency due to the supernatural element of somehow communication across time and space. The comparison to The Guilty comes from us seeing Josh Stewart as the adult Steven Thomas trying to resolve everything as a phone operator.

However, unlike The Guilty and Frequency, we see a lot of flashbacks and other events happening, so this isn’t “just” us watching Josh Stewart while on the phone.

I loved seeing Josh Stewart (The Collector franchise) in this role, which is something he can easily handle. Of course, I don’t know that it was easy for him, but it comes across as very natural and believable.

The same goes for Judah Lewis (The Babysitter, Suitable Flesh) as the young Steven Thomas. In fact, Judah Lewis probably had some of the tougher moments in many ways. He’s acting out the trauma while Josh Stewart has to react more.

Watch Lifeline on Digital or in select theaters

Lifeline is directed by Feras Alfuqaha, and while he has produced many short films, this is his first time directing. A very strong debut to me – not least being able to keep the runtime tight at 80 minutes, which is often a struggle for many first-timers.

The screenplay comes from Brian Price & Brady Morell, and they are also both getting their feature film debuts as writers. Brady Morell has written a handful of short films, but for Brian Price, this is the first writing credit.

Apart from Josh Stewart and Judah Lewis, who are the absolute stars of Lifeline, the cast includes a few other familiar faces. We have Brecken Merrill (Yellowstone, This Is Us), Charlene Amoia (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), and August Maturo (The Nun, Slapface) to name just a few.

I’m not sure everyone will be happy with the somewhat open ending. You will be given answers as to what the mystery is all about in this supernatural thriller. However, some viewers may want even more definitive answers, which it does not give. I think this makes it better, but I know others won’t.

Lifeline is coming to Select Theaters and Digital Platforms on February 21, 2025.

Details

Director: Feras Alfuqaha
Writers: Brian Price & Brady Morell
Cast: Josh Stewart, Judah Lewis, Brecken Merrill, Charlene Amoia