Brilliant and touching

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

A Disappointing Continuation

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The best kind of psychological thrillers are the ones that drop hints throughout the movie about what the ending might turn out as. Then, there is the "next tier" of thrillers, where the ending is a bit more manipulative in the sense that it is dropped on the viewer suddenly and cannot be reasoned out along the way. "The Number 23" falls in that latter category. It isn't an all-time great psych thriller (like The Sixth Sense, Memento, or Jim Carrey's own Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), but it does have enough mystery an interesting moments to be an entertaining watch.For a basic plot summary, "The Number 23" tells the story of Walter Sparrow (Carrey), whose wife Agatha (Virginia Madsen) finds a book at the local bookshop entitled The Number 23. While Agatha looks at the book as "interesting fiction" and nothing more, Walter becomes obsessed with it and the number it idolizes. A colleague of Walter's, Isaac French (Danny Huston), tries to dissuade Walter of his obsession, but that only serves to heighten is paranoia about the way the story seems to be intertwining with his reality.If taken solely at face value, "The Number 23" is a pretty good flick. It has an engaging mystery, Carrey is a great leading man, and the ending is indeed a surprise, to say the least. For those looking for a good psychological thriller from time to time, this one fits the bill.Here's the problem for certain viewers, though: This is my favorite genre of film (and thus I have a somewhat high bar set for it), and "Number 23" doesn't quite measure up to the greats of that genre. It isn't a "smart" thriller, if you will, but rather more of a manipulative one in the sense that the twists and turns are completely out of left field and not necessary germane to the story. It comes very, very close at times, but overall (under the direction of Joel Schumacher) it doesn't quite take that "next step" into being a film I'd ever want to re-watch again.So, I think a person's enjoyment of "The Number 23" will depend on their familiarity with the genre. If you aren't a pro, this one will get the job done. If you've "seen them all", though, this won't be at (or necessarily even near) the top of the list.

Joel's Schumacher's The Number 23 is a tedious, stodgy and pompous film that rarely manages to entertain or intrigue.Jim Carrey has proved himself worthy of dramatic roles, Truman Show (1998) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), being his two best non-goofball acts. While Jim Carrey's performance here is undeniably the most entertaining part of this mess of a film, it's appreciated for all the wrong reasons. The film practically drowns itself in it's over-seriousness and melodrama, making the often-charismatic Carrey feel drab and lifeless. Watching the film is quite literally the equivalent of listening to a deranged conspiracy theorist explain his theory to those unfamiliar with it. In fact, that IS the story verbatim. While the "23 theory" itself is quite the intriguing coincidence, it's just that- a coincidence. However, the film is so persistent in pointing out as many coincidences as possible that are completely irrelevant. It frankly becomes an annoying and distracting plot element that comes off as aberrantly stupid rather than cleverly absorbing. The film had the potential to be a fascinating and brilliantly twisted psychological tale of obsession and mental illness, but instead, reserves the majority of focus to it's laughable "conspiracy" gimmick. Schumacher sure had a knack for finding these "23 enigmas", it's just a shame that making a cohesive film didn't add up to 23.

***SPOILERS***Jim Carrey as animal control employee-or dog catcher-Walter Saprrow gets himself bit by this runaway pit bull that later results in him becoming obsessed with the #23 in a book by the same name that his wife Agatha, Virginia Madsen, bought for him as a birthday present. What the dog and the book had to do with each other has to do with a murder or so were told that was committed 15 years earlier that later turns out to be the reason for the books contents! As Walter starts to read the book #23 he becomes fascinated with not only the number 23 but with all the combinations of numbers, added subtracted and divided, that make up that number. In him feeling that they all have something to do with solving the murder of the person in the book "#23" of Laura Tollins, Rhona Mitra, who incidentally was killed at the age of 23! It soon become apparent that Walter's obsession with the book has to do with him somehow being involved with its contents in that Walter soon takes on he identity, in his deranged mind, of the main character of the book PI Fingering who's out to solve and find Laura's murderer. The film starts to get so confusing that Walter in finding what its, the book "#23", all about that he loses his mind as in reading it he comes to the book's 23rd chapter that he finds out to be totally blank. The reason for that is that who ever wrote it was Laura's killer and didn't want the police or anyone reading the book to find out his identity!***MAJOR SPIOILERS***Idiotic to say the least with so many sub plots that are enough to fill at least a half dozen movie scripts the movie is just too insane, like Walter Sparrow, for anyone to either grasp understand or follow. Jim Carrey who incidentally got paid $23,000,000.00-There's that darn number 23 again- for his role as Walter Sparrow also was awarded by many film critics as being the worst actor of the year 2007 in his role in the film. The ending had Walter finally solve the mystery of Laura's murder by him finding out, with the help of his wife Agatha, that he not only wrote the book but was also the main character in it. That he in the end luckily got off with a light sentence in that the judge and jury declared him to be mentally insane when he wrote it.

Number 23 (2007): Dir: Joel Schumacher / Cast: Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Logan Lerman, Rhona Mitra, Danny Huston: Psychological thriller about the search for traumatic beginnings. Jim Carrey and Virginia Madsen play a married couple as well as characters inhabiting a book called Number 23 for which she gives him on his birthday. Now everything he encounters seems to relate somehow to the number 23 to the point where he feels controlled. Directed by Joel Schumacher who previously directed Carrey in Batman Forever where he played the Riddler. Here he must also solve a riddle of sorts. This is a very different role for Carrey whose birthday gift turns into an obsession to solve a murder to the point where he feels that he is becoming a danger to his own family. Madsen does well as his wife whom attempts to help him solve his dilemma only to have secrets surface. She will put herself in harm's way for the sake of her husband and his declining mental state. Logan Lerman plays their son whom also assists in solving the case and becomes an inspiration for life. Rhona Mitra plays a college student who was murdered after having sexual relations with her professor. Danny Huston is also cast as Isaac French and Dr. Miles Phoenix but the role is standard. It is her dismiss that needs solving. It creates an intriguing portrait of the Biblical scripture that sights sin finding you out. Score: 8 ½ / 10