Rhona Mitra Movie:

		List Price: $28.99		Label: New Line Home Video Salesrank: 27490 Released: October 6, 2009
		Our Price: $14.40
		Used Price: $17.80
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: Blu-ray

Editorial Review:
Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 10/06/2009 Run time: 98 minutes Rating: R

Description of The Number 23 [Blu-ray]:
Jim Carrey as a schizophrenic murderer isn't convincing, in this melodramatic film about a man obsessed by the Number 23. Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, St. Elmo's Fire) has unintentionally managed to make a comedy of horrors that really is quite humorous in parts. Walter Sparrow (Carrey) becomes engrossed in a homespun novel about Detective Fingerling, whose life degrades into mayhem because of his obsession with 23's esoteric numerical puzzles. Sparrow's preoccupation with the book follows his botched attempt to catch a nasty dog that bites him, leading one to believe that Sparrow's contraction of rabies might be the cause for his mental degradation. As the story progresses, Sparrow retreats further into Fingerling's world, rife with suicidal sexpots and hardboiled detective sleuthing. His wife, Agatha (Virginia Madsen), also plays Fingerling's girlfriend, sex-crazed Fabrizia, who taunts Fingerling until he stabs her. Back in reality, Walter aims to solve the unresolved crimes in the book, taking it as a murderer's diary rather than as an imagined work. The story is half-baked, though Carrey's portrayal of a mentally disturbed person is what makes The Number 23 comedic. Long, contemplative stares, and over-dramatized acting renders Sparrow a clichéd character, rather than one odd enough to engage viewers. For a better version of almost the exact plot but with a terrorist's twist, see Thr3e instead. --Trinie Dalton

The Number 23 [Blu-ray] Reviews:
Doesn't Quite Cut It... Literally
2009-11-13 - A serial killer can't easily become a preschool teacher. The same can be said for an actor with a successful history in comedy, who tries to bust through that shirt and sign up for a serious role in a movie.

In other words, Jim Carry is a cool guy, but whoever decided that he should flip the lid and take on a very serious and dark role was, frankly, a stupid one. Even looking at the movie cover is ridiculous- you see the funnyman himself with numbers carved into his skin, and it looks funny. Not scary. Wrong effect for a scary movie, unless the expectations have changed.

Really, I believe this movie would have done better with a different actor in the lead role as the 23-obsessed murderer, Walter Sparrow. It's an interesting idea- dealing with the 23 enigma- and with some twinges with the plot and dialogue, it would have come over much better. But don't get me wrong- considering this is his first dramatic role, Carry did alright, I guess. It was just the fact he was so ill-fit for the movie!

And even though I didn't really like this movie for some of the ridiculous plot twists, harsh language, and dark, almost disturbing scenes, I liked it enough to make a review. I did admire some of the computer effects, like when they used it to tell the story of Fingerling, who is the main character in the book, The Number 23, in which Walter Sparrow (Carry) finds odd similarities with. I also love the Suicide Blond scene- it struck me as incredibly unique and beautiful, and the high point of the movie for me.

However, the movie was confusing, ridiculous at some points, and downright disturbing. But I'll tell you what, the day after I watched this movie, I was startled by the freakiest things.

I was riding to school, and I passed by a city bus, with 23 on the flashing numbers on its face. I thought that was pretty cool, and when I was walking into school, I even passed by a school bus- bus 23. But that was all I experienced... even then, it was weird, because I realized that the main idea of the film- what if- was the most exciting thing about it. See, those numbers would have meant nothing if I hadn't watched this the night before. So was it a coincidence, or not?

Ha- see, THAT'S why I thought this movie deserved a review, because it leaves the viewer slightly disturbed, no matter how much they love to deny it.

Skip it
2009-09-20 - The Number 23 was quite a disappointment; so painfully slow, it failed to catch my attention all the way until the very middle, which was when I just gave up and turned it off.
A dog catcher (slightly reminiscent of Ace Ventura) reads a book his wife gets him for his birthday about a detective who is obsessed with the number 23 and so he too becomes obsessed with that number. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
In short, the acting is all right (though nothing great, Jim Carrey is same old Jim Carrey i.e. boring), while the plot and the dialogues are below average.
Though the potential for a good movie was there it fails to take off, primarily due to the writers and the poor choice of lines and weak plot.
No masterpiece here...


america's critic
2009-09-12 - this one was a lil different im not sure but i think this was based off a comic-- with strange turns and the ending this movie was just ok jim carrey being serious---in my life its be good at what ur great at!! and its not this fire marshal bill

Dull, plodding, clumbsy psycho-drama
2009-05-08 - We got this the week it came out, my wife said it was so bad she didn't want to watch it again, which is unusual for her. I didn't give in until today. I could have waited another few years and it wouldn't have helped.
The only good thing about this film was the song that played during the closing credits.

Trust me... there are better ways to spend your time
1 1/2 *

Jim Carrey's career might be over.
2009-04-24 - Why would Jim Carrey ever try to do a serious film?
He's basically a clown.
Now he's too old to be funny and he knows that so he's trying to take more serious roles, but what a mess he's making!

The acting in this movie is absolutely weird. The plot is EXCRUCIATINGLY BORING and the first 40 mins feel like 3 HOURS!

This movie left me thinking: "What could save Jim's career?!"