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Murder by Numbers (2002)

 -  Crime | Drama | Thriller  -  19 April 2002 (USA)
6.0
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Ratings: 6.0/10 from 31,855 users   Metascore: 50/100
Reviews: 280 user | 134 critic | 35 from Metacritic.com

Two gifted high school students execute a "perfect" murder - then become engaged in an intellectual contest with a seasoned homicide detective.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Cassie Mayweather / Jessica Marie Hudson
...
...
...
...
...
Ray Feathers
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Captain Rod Cody
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Asst. D.A. Al Swanson
Janni Brenn ...
Ms. Elder
John Vickery ...
Restaurant Manager
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Mr. Chechi
...
Olivia Lake, the Victim
...
Male Officer in Flashback
Adilah Barnes ...
Lab Technician
...
Lawyer
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Storyline

Richard Haywood, a Californian high school's coolest kid, secretly teams up with another rich kid in his class, brilliant nerd Justin 'Bonaparte' Pendleton, whose erudition, specially in forensic matters, allows them to plan elaborately perfect murders, just for the kick, for which they set up Richard's marijuana supplier, their school's janitor Ray Feathers, as a psychotic serial killer. The case is assigned to detectives Cassie 'the hyena' Mayweather, who carries a sequoia-size chip on the shoulder from her previous life, and her brilliant new partner, Sam Kennedy, who just transferred from the vice squad; they can work together very well, and even fit romantically, but fall out over different professional attitudes towards the investigation, which Captain Rod Cody and her understandably vindictive abused ex, Assistant D.A. Al Swanson, soon ban her from when she disobeys instructions and hand to him. When the plotting boys both dig class-mate Lisa Mills, their unnatural bond comes ... Written by KGF Vissers

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Justice will be served See more »

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language, a sex scene and brief drug use | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

19 April 2002 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Foolproof  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$262,841 (Australia) (1 November 2002)

Gross:

$685,907 (Australia) (15 November 2002)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

| |

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Richard's car, a Mustang, is the same type of car driven by Steve McQueen in Bullitt. Ryan Gosling suggested that the car be used, as he is a fan of McQueen. See more »

Goofs

When Sam is driving Cassie home for the first time, we see his vehicle turning before we hear her voice telling him where to turn. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Richard: Shall we say the words one last time?
Justin: One cannot live fully without embracing suicide in crime.
Richard: Say it.
Justin: A pact made with relentless fire that requires that, while some live, others die.
Richard: On three...
in unison: One, two, three
[gun shot]
See more »

Connections

Featured in Six Feet Under: I'll Take You (2002) See more »

Soundtracks

"London Rain (Nothing Heals Me Like You Do)"
(uncredited)
Performed by Heather Nova
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
The numbers don't really add up
14 January 2003 | by (Malmo, Sweden) – See all my reviews

It's a swell thriller: a reasonably sophisticated plot, with some neat twists and turns, good camera work, and a kind of satisfactory ending. But just as with the murder story in question, the flaws become apparent at closer examination.

Most important, the characters are not sufficiently presented and explained. The deadly duet shows a very close relation, but not what keeps it so close. It would be easy enough to understand, if they were lovers. Then their quarrel over a girl also makes sense. Since they are not - as far as the movie shows us - their relation remains a mystery.

The same, to a lesser extent, is true about the detective duet. Bullock is not really able to convince with her tough exterior to hide inner wounds, although that should be easy for an actor of her experience, and her male colleague gets no room in the film to show us why he stands her, after what she puts him through the very first days they work together.

Although it's mainly a thriller, I guess this movie would have needed some additional efforts on the drama of it, the emotional processes included in it. Maybe it's all too logical - like numbers.


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Really, in complete honesty: Worst Movie Ever Made cdgoss
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A logical error tracco
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