Review - The Number 23

Okay so I really finished watching this film feeling one thing in particular . . .

. . . Annoyance . . .

If there were any more f-ed up ways to come to The Number 23 I don’t think I could have survived them. And it upset me too because I really wanted to like this film. Not to say that it was horrible but it was one of those films where you got to the end and were like “oh no they didn’t just waste another 98 minutes of my life?” I’ve definitely seen worse movies but I have also definitely seen better.

But I digress. So Walter Sparrow (Jim Carey) is an animal control officer who meets his match with Ned - a dog who seems hell bent on ruining Walter’s birthday. All is not lost as Walter finally gets to meet his lovely wife Agatha (Virginia Madsen) who in his absence found him a birthday present. A well thumbed through copy of a book by the name of The Number 23 written by Topsy Kretts (get it?).

As Walter delves into the book, he begins to see more and more of his life in that of the main character and author, Fingerling (Jim Carey with one heck of a tattoo – I just love body art). He also begins to see The dreaded Number 23 everywhere. I think this is where it just gets to be a bit too much for me. They came up with the most convoluted ways of having things add up to 23.

It was probably after the introduction of the character of Suicide Blonde (Lynn Collins) where I found myself so annoyed with the math of The Number 23. It was probably a combination of her crazy math and the fact that this was the point where the movie seemed almost to go in a different direction than where I wanted it to. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the Suicide Blonde in and of herself but I don’t know, it was like after she was introduced, the movie just went all wrong and never quite dug itself out of that 23 foot hole --- look at that there’s that pesky 23 again . . .

All my annoyances aside – the film looked amazing. What it lacked in believable substance it certainly made up for in a dark sort of beauty. Fingerling’s tattoos alone were enough to keep me watching (told you before I have a thing for body art).

I don’t say don’t see the film. I just warn that you may be a bit disappointed by the whole The Number 23 hoo-ha. Also, you might find yourself a bit annoyed at how a bunch of seemingly normal and intelligent people find themselves sucked into a crazy little whirlwind. At the end of the day you may leave with the same question I had - how did Agatha not ask the one burning question the first day she met Walter (to know that question you will have to watch the film).

Directed by
Joel Schumacher

Writing credits
(WGA)
Fernley Phillips (written by)

Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification
Jim Carrey ... Walter Sparrow/Fingerling
Virginia Madsen ... Agatha Sparrow/Fabrizia
Logan Lerman ... Robin Sparrow
Danny Huston ... Isaac French/Dr. Miles Phoenix
Lynn Collins ... Suicide Blonde/Mrs. Dobkins/Young Fingerling's Mother
Rhona Mitra ... Laura Tollins
Michelle Arthur ... Sybil
Mark Pellegrino ... Kyle Finch
Paul Butcher ... Young Fingerling/Young Walter
David Stifel ... Hotel Clerk
Corey Stoll ... Sergeant Burns
Ed Lauter ... Father Sebastian
Troy Kotsur ... Barnaby
Walter Soo Hoo ... Chinese Restaurant Owner
Patricia Belcher ... Dr. Alice Mortimer
Rudolph Willrich ... Dr. Nathaniel
John Fink ... Young Walter's Father/Young Fingerling's Father
Julie Remala ... Mail Clerk
Tara Karsian ... Box Company Clerk
Kerry Hoyt ... Suicide Blonde's Father
Jennifer Lee Grafton ... Suicide Blonde's Mother
Tom Lenk ... Bookstore Salesperson
Ka'ramuu Kush ... Fingerling's Sergeant
Helen Jordan ... Lady Walking Dog
Eddie Rouse ... Building Super
Lesli Margherita ... Attractive Coed
Maile Flanagan ... Charades Friend
Bob Zmuda ... Desk Clerk
Susan Kitchen ... Party Goer
Coier Amerson ... Party Goer
Michael Hurley ... Agatha's Friend
Donna G. Earley ... Agatha's Friend
Shannon Gayle ... Lucinda

rest of cast listed alphabetically:
K.T. Rowe ... The Girlfriend (uncredited)