The Number 23

Starring: Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Logan Lerman, Danny Huston, Maile Flanagan

Directed by: Joel Schumacher

RS: 1of 4 Stars Average User Rating: 3of 4 Stars

2007 New Line All Movies

There's a mess of things wrong with this suspense thriller. Start with the fact that it's neither suspenseful nor thrilling. The so-called original screenplay is by first-timer Fernley Phillips. But it's right out of the doppelgänger creep shows that Stephen King did to a scary turn in The Dark Half and Secret Window.

Jim Carrey, channeling Jack Nicholson in The Shining, plays Walter Sparrow. He's a dogcatcher (an Ace Ventura homage?) with a hot wife (Virginia Madsen) and an adoring teen son (Logan Lerman). Then Walter picks up The Number 23. It's a book about a detective named Fingerling, also played by Carrey. The dick is a nut job and possible murderer who strikes personal chords with Walter. You see, there are things in Walter's past he has repressed. Fingerling is fixated on the number 23. Maybe you are, too. It's a cult. Do you find meaning in knowing that, say, Kurt Cobain died in 1994: 1 + 9 + 9 + 4 = 23?

Me, I'd like 23 reasons from the Academy why Carrey wasn't Oscar- nominated for The Truman Show, Man on the Moon and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Still, our boy is floundering here. Not because the role isn't comic, but because it's so comically intense. The tattoos, the glary eyes, the strained tendons and -- ohmigod -- all that bloooood. They seem like overcompensation for a movie that never achieves liftoff. Director Joel Schumacher, working with the great cinematographer Matthew Libatique (Requiem for a Dream), shines up the oldest tricks in the boo book. But I find the thick wad of improbabilities in this junk impossible to swallow. Wait a sec, I think I just wrote sentence 23.

PETER TRAVERS

(Posted: Feb 20, 2007)

Your Turn

Give us your review of
The Number 23

Review 1 of 5

1of 4 Stars

I never cease to be amazed. Just when I thought I'd seen the stupidest movie I'd ever seen, another one comes along. The Number 23 gives testimony to the fact that a film without a plot can actually be produced, directed and marketed.

Dec 31, 2007 09:44:15

Review 2 of 5

1of 4 Stars

If i could give negitive stars i would. this movie sucked! I kept hopin it would end. I was hopin he would have just died when he ran infront of that semi! But it NEVEVEREER ended! Dont watch-- you will hate the actual number 23. warning again: dont watch the movie! AU REVOIR

Jul 29, 2007 13:05:43

Review 3 of 5

Not Rated

The Number 23 Enigma didn't begin with this movie! Strange coincidences involving #23 were noticed by William S. Burroughs back in the early '60s, associated especially with death and disaster, often in the form of disaster headlines, such as "Montreal Apt. Blast kills 23". Writer Robert Anton Wilson learned about #23 from Burroughs, and went on to experience uncanny 23-coincidences in his own life. For Wilson, although a dark side to 23 was acknowledged, he mostly viewed it as a positive signal in his life's journey. For 25 years, like Burroughs,I have noticed 23 in uncountable disaster news items. Carrey, in his real life has personally been obsessed with the many odd 23-coincidences he's noticed. The belief of Carrey, Burroughs, Wilson, and myself,is that something beyond sheer chance is afoot with the 23 Enigma! Jungian synchronicity is an explanation. That is, something, er, cosmic, is at work! I have an informative 23 Blog with excerpts of 23 writings from Burroughs,and Wilson,plus comments from Carrey on #23. http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=86201106

Mar 5, 2007 14:30:30

Review 4 of 5

Not Rated

That was 22 sentences Peter. But nice try.

Feb 23, 2007 18:33:29

Review 5 of 5

1of 4 Stars

My review of this film is based on its script (posted at horrorlair.com). This sub-genre has been around for at least 20 years (Jacob's Ladder, Angel Heart, What Lies Beneath, No Way Out, etc.), and they all suffer from the same problem: They go to great lengths to explain their convoluted logic, but that logic NEVER completely adds up; some elements are (conveniently) never explained, some are superfluous, and coincidence -- the crutch too many writers rely on when they get stuck -- inevitably worms its way into the proceedings. All of the elements for a suspense thriller are here: conflict, violence, confrontation, struggles with sanity, unravelling a mystery; what's missing is believability and sense. Maybe -- if you leave your brain at the door -- you might enjoy the pictures, but don't come looking for a good story . . . it's not here.

Feb 20, 2007 17:00:10

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