The Number 23 (2007)

Walter Sparrow becomes obsessed with a novel that he believes was written about him, as more and more similarities between himself and his literary alter ego 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:

detective | obsession | murder | flashback | book | 

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Taglines:

First it takes hold of your mind...then it takes hold of your life.

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, disturbing images, sexuality and language

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

(at around 46 mins) When he opens the book to read chapter 21, he is on one of the early chapters, instead of closer to the end of the book. In contrast, at around 51 mins, when he reads chapter 22, he is clearly on the last pages, as expected.

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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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Alternate Versions

Unrated version runs 3-4 minutes longer.

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Connections

Referenced in Animation Lookback: Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 13 (2010)

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Soundtracks

Blue Christmas
Written by Billy Hayes (as Bill Hayes) and Jay Johnson (as Jay W. Johnson)
Performed by Dean Martin
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

Average thriller with some open questions

I knew when I bought THE NUMBER 23 on DVD that I haven't to expect too much after reading the critics on this link. I watched it with high attention till the end and I have to say that it worked on a fair level as an average thriller. There are some points in this film that weren't logic for me. Anyway, if you have really nothing to do this one offers many mysteries and puzzles to solve but not great suspense. There were perhaps some unnecessary bloody scenes. I was very positive surprised seeing Jim Carrey giving a great and respectable performance in a thriller. I cannot share some opinions that he was misplaced here because he has no doubt a great talent and I can imagine him in other roles of this genre. And director Joel Schuhmacher made finally a better movie than his last ones. Final number: 6/10.

Details

Official Sites:

WarnerBros.com

Country:

USA

Language:

English Chinese

Release Date:

23 February 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Number 23

Filming Locations:

Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,107,000, 25 February 2007

Gross USA:

$35,193,167

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$77,677,553

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Contrafilm, Firm Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 101 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1