THE NUMBER 23 (15)
D: Joel Schumacher
New Line/Contrafilm/Firm Films (Beau Flynn & Tripp
Vinson)
US/Germany 2007
94 mins
Mystery/Thriller
W: Fernley Phillips
DP: Matthew Libatique
Ed: Mark Stevens
Mus: Harry Gregson-Williams
Jim Carrey (Walter Sparrow), Virginia Madsen (Agatha
Pink-Sparrow), Logan Lerman (Robin Sparrow), Danny Huston (Isaac French)
On his birthday, a man receives a book from his wife which
he becomes obsessed with and loses his mind trying to decipher its obscure, ambiguous meaning.
The idea behind this film is intriguing and had it been
written by someone like Stephen King, it may have had more weight behind it. As is, it's very poorly executed, mainly due to Joel Schumacher's misguided direction, some major plotholes in the
story and a very miscast Jim Carrey in a role that doesn't require his usual rubberface routine.
5/10