The Number 23 (2007)

Walter Sparrow becomes obsessed with a novel that he believes was written about him. As his obsession increases, more and more similarities seem to arise.

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writer:

Fernley Phillips

Stars:

Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Logan Lerman

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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 Flinch
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

Storyline

On his birthday, Walter Sparrow, an amiable dog-catcher, takes a call that leaves him dog bit and late to pick up his wife. She's browsed in a bookstore, finding a blood-red-covered novel, a murder mystery with numerology that loops constantly around the number 23. The story captivates Walter: he dreams it, he notices aspects of his life that can be rendered by "23," he searches for the author, he stays in the hotel (in room 23) where events in the novel took place, and he begins to believe it was no novel. His wife and son try to help him, sometimes in sympathy, sometimes to protect him. Slowly, with danger to himself and to his family, he closes in on the truth.

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Plot Keywords:

bookstore | author | numerology | obsession | detective | 

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Taglines:

The truth will find you.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, disturbing images, sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

New Line Cinema [us]

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English Chinese

Release Date:

23 February 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Número 23

Filming Locations:

Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$32,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,206,087 (UK) (23 February 2007)

Gross:

$35,063,732 (USA) (23 March 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Contrafilm, Firm Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 98 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The main character, Sparrow, had an obsession with the saxophone. The standard, student sax has 23 keys without the neck. But, with the neck, which one needs to play the sax, the student sax has 24 keys. Nowadays student saxes come with an added high F# key, so they have 25.

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Goofs

When Walter Sparrow enters in the post office while Dr. Sirius Leary is opening the boxes, we can clearly see sheets of Neutral Density filters placed on the windows behind Walter Sparrow.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Walter Sparrow: A week ago, the only thing I thought was out of the ordinary was that it was my birthday.

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Connections

Referenced in The Nostalgia Critic: Angry Video Game Nerd Rant: Part 2 (2008)

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Soundtracks

"The Banality of Evil"
Written by David Sylvian and Burnt Friedman (as Bernd Friedmann)
Performed by Nine Horses
Courtesy of Samadhisound LLC

User Reviews

Very excellent film, despite the reviews

This movie was very well done. The acting was tight (though there are a few scenes that fall somewhat flat, as with any movie), the script was well written, and it is pretty spooky. This movie has great atmosphere, and Jim Carrey DOES show that he can be a GOOD serious/dramatic/non-slapstick actor.

I've never been a big fan of Virginia Madsen, but she plays her part pretty well, and is overall a credit to the film. Logan Lerman, who was excellent in Butterfly Effect, does a very good job in The Number 23, and is well on his way to becoming a big ticket actor.

I for one don't trust newspaper/television/magazine reviews of movies, because they tend to laud and tout and advertise and worship crap films with little or no story, horrible acting/directing/editing, and movies that are just plain boring as hell, even if the acting is good. They also despise/hate/put-down/trash movies that break molds on what they think an actor/director/producer SHOULD do. I think they only reason this movie is getting bad reviews is that the so-called reviewers are getting a case of diaper rash over Jim Carrey doing a non-Pet-Detecive-Almighty-Dumber-Liar movie.

If you like movies that have a plot, a storyline, good effects, great acting, excellent atmosphere, superb editing, great directing, great sound, and that is not full of itself or boring to the point of making Bridges of Madison County look like Die Hard, then go see this movie. Otherwise go stare at wet paint until it dries.