5 Movies That Prove You Don't Need a Globe-Trotting Adventure to Tell a Powerful Story
These five use the claustrophobic feeling to escalate the tension in already gripping stories.
Many great movies are incredible adventures that take their heroes on a journey around the world, featuring a variety of colorful locations that we can enjoy without leaving the theater or the comfort of our own homes.
However, filmmakers don't always need to change scenery frequently to tell a great story, as some of the most breathtaking movies are set in a single location.
So let's take a look at five brilliant movies that keep the story in one place for their entire running time.
1. Phone Booth (2002)
As you can guess from the title, this Joel Schumacher-directed movie revolves around a single phone booth in New York that becomes a trap for Colin Farrell 's Stu Shepard.
Unable to leave, or else the mysterious caller armed with a sniper rifle, played by Kiefer Sutherland, will shoot him on sight, Stu is forced to participate in a sinister game that could destroy his life.
2. Buried (2010)
Starring Ryan Reynolds, this survival thriller centers on Paul Conroy, an American civilian working in Iraq who finds himself buried alive in a coffin by terrorists.
With only a handful of items in his possession, including a phone that his captor uses to contact him, Paul must seek help or find his own way out before he inevitably runs out of air.
3. 12 Angry Men (1957)
This cult classic legal drama is packed with some outstanding acting that makes you forget that the whole story takes place in a single room.
A jury of 12 men, all very different in character, must make the fateful decision of whether or not an 18-year-old accused of murdering his abusive father is guilty.
4. The Hateful Eight (2015)
Coming from the legendary Quentin Tarantino, almost the entirety of this Western takes place in a single haberdashery that, due to a blizzard, becomes a refuge for an array of colorful and extremely diverse characters.
However, as the story unfolds, the suspicion that they might not be as random as it first seemed begins to creep in, creating a great atmosphere of tension and suspense.
5. Locke (2013)
Directed by Steven Knight, this psychological drama starring Tom Hardy takes place entirely in the protagonist's car.
Ivan Locke, a construction foreman, has a particularly rough night just as he is about to drive home.
Things get worse by the minute as problems seem to come out of nowhere and drastically change Locke's plans for the evening.