In the 2004 thriller film Cellular, Ryan (played by Chris Evans) is a young man working as a carefree beach bum in Los Angeles when he receives a frantic phone call from a woman named Jessica Martin (played by Kim Basinger). She has been kidnapped and is being held captive in an attic, but secretly manages to use a damaged landline telephone to make a desperate call from her makeshift prison.
Ryan, feeling obligated to help her, tries to track down her location with limited information and resources. Jessica slowly provides him with clues and details about her captors, including their car make and model, streets and names, which leads Ryan on a dangerous journey across the city.
Along the way, he encounters the corrupt police officers who kidnapped Jessica, an angry gang looking for revenge, and several other obstacles and close calls. Ryan goes to great lengths and puts himself in harm's way to not only rescue Jessica but also her husband, Craig (played by Jason Statham), and their young son, who are also being targeted by the kidnappers.
The movie plays out like a race against time with Ryan frantically trying to complete his mission before the kidnappers carry out their threats to attack Jessica's family. The storyline and action sequences in the film were praised by critics, likening it to the classic action movies of the 1990s.