A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: The Number 23

Date Viewed: 3/3/07

Details:

Jim Carrey

Virginia Madsen

Logan Lerman

Danny Huston

Lynn Collins

Director: Joel Schumacher

Score: 0

The Review: Spooky, dreary tale of obsession and psychological damage.

While waiting in a bookstore for her husband Walter (yet another animal control officer through Carrey's eyes), Agatha (Madsen) stumbles upon an odd typescript novel (eponymously titled) that she picks up and reads -- then passing it onto Walter (who doesn't seem to be one of the more dedicated readers on the planet). As he reads, he becomes steadily more obsessed with the book, and with the number 23. Oddly, he doesn't seem to read the book straight through, but stops chapter after chapter, descending into dark territory. For some reason, he feels it was written for him, as a record of some alternate fantasy life. Several twists are yet to come.

The number 23? Everything can be translated or transmuted into the numeric value 23, or so claims the eponymous book's author. For awhile, this movie seems to explore the obsessive, pattern-seeking mind I've commented upon in the context of other films such as A Beautiful Mind or White Noise. But ultimately, this does not appear to be the movie's purpose, or plot, and my interest gradually evaporated. 23 cannot be compared positively to either of these films. It's not bad, and the several plot turns are curious to follow, but it's not great either.

This is one of Carrey's serious works (more's the pity) whereas it could have benefited by a slightly lighter touch -- not humor, per se, since the entire plot arc is anything but.

(24-Mar-07)

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