Hotline 1982

After a long shift at the bar, including a drunken patron who demanded sexual favors, Brianne O’Neill—an art student—returns home seeking a quiet night of rest. Unbeknownst to her, a shadowy stalker has begun watching, even slipping into her house without her knowledge. Around the same time, the friendly psychiatrist from the bar, Justin Price, explains that he followed her home because he believed the drunk was tailing her. Believing he may have scared away the stalker, she expresses gratitude by volunteering at his hotline practice, despite a busy schedule.

She makes a solid start at the hotline, helping several people with their problems, and earning the respect of her supervisor and her colleague, with the latter being a steady presence in the room, while the former observes her progress. Soon, frightening calls begin to arrive from a mysterious voice who claims to have read about recent murders and issue cryptic game-like instructions. The caller, who flirtatiously dubs himself “The Barber,” guides her through a chilling set of clues that point to a hidden list of victims.

Driven by a mix of concern and curiosity, Brianne grows obsessed with decoding The Barber’s puzzle. She starts recording the calls and follows a clue that leads to a deranged murder suspect in Reno, Charlie Jackson. After returning from the trip to the airport without solid answers, she receives another ominous call from The Barber at home. When she tries to piece together who knew about her Reno trip, she suspects that Justin Price, bartender coworker Barnie, and her boss Kyle Durham might be in the loop. Kyle, in turn, is said to be close friends with Tom Hunter, an actor who has long harbored feelings for Brianne.

The tension mounts as The Barber’s threats grow more explicit, and Brianne decides to involve the police. Yet The Barber seems to anticipate every move, insisting that his games must continue. Justin becomes convinced that Tom is the killer and sets out to gather hard evidence, while Brianne remains torn between belief and doubt, finally accepting that Tom may have been present at the scene of one of the murders.

In a dramatic turn, Kyle finally reveals himself as The Barber. The chase erupts in a tense confrontation: the would-be killer overpowers Brianne, justifying his violence as punishment for the pain he believes he’s caused Tom by her unreciprocated love. Desperation drives Brianne to grab a harpoon and open fire, ending Kyle’s life. With the danger behind them, Brianne finds solace in the arms of Justin, and the moment freezes as the credits begin to roll.