The Number 23 (R)

Absurd, dark, and a miscast Jim Carrey. Yuck.

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About Our Ratings
Common Sense rates it
1
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Movie details
  • Studio: New Line Cinema
  • Directed By: Joel Schumacher
  • Cast: Jim Carrey, Logan Lerman, Virginia Madsen
  • Running Time: 85 minutes
  • Release Date: 2/22/2007
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 7/17/2007
  • Genre: Thriller
  • MPAA Rating: R
  • MPAA Explanation: violence, disturbing images, sexuality and language.

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this isn't a Jim Carrey comedy. It's a thriller in which suicides are epidemic (three characters take their own lives -- or try to -- in often-bloody detail). The surreal, MTV-style filmmaking unfortunately makes at least one of the suicide victims look like a gauzy Victoria's Secret model who's ready for a turn on the fashion runway -- not a good message to send. There's also a subplot about a girl who likes to have kinky, abusive sex. Other violence includes murder (usually offscreen) and the threat of murder; there's also some language and drinking.

Families can talk about why Jim Carrey, known for slapstick comedy, would undertake a movie like this. What makes this movie a thriller? What's the difference between thrillers and horror movies? Families can also discuss the supportive message about the mentally ill that's hidden underneath the movie's gaudy, feverish visuals.

Message

Social Behavior:

Characters suddenly go from normal and sympathetic to shifty, paranoid, and potentially psychotic. There is, however an ultimate message about the redeeming power of family love and support and "doing the right thing."

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

The hero drinks to steady his nerves.

Violence

Threatened knifings. Multiple suicides and suicide attempts via slit wrists, standing in front of a bus, hanging, jumping out the window, and a gunshot to the head (the last is usually off screen). One throat-slitting (presented in a surreal, fantasy way). The hero gets a bloody dog bite and later tries to kill the dog by running it over.

Sex

A few sensuality scenes, which are much obscured by abstract, music video-style gimmicky visuals, editing, and foliage. Some females are dressed in revealing bustiers. A takeoff on lurid detective-story clichés includes a girl who indulges in sex with kinky, violent, and murderous overtones. The (married) hero turns down an offer of sex from a co-worker, then worries about his wife's fidelity.

Language

A few uses of "s--t" and "f--k," as well as "bitch" (in both canine and human contexts).

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Charles Cassady, Jr.

Carrey plays Walter Sparrow, a happy-go-lucky animal-control warden (yes, it's impossible to get Ace Ventura: Pet Detective out of your head while watching) whose wife, Agatha (Virginia Madsen), gives him a birthday present, a secondhand novel called The Number 23. Walter fixates on the prose, which viewers see acted out -- with Carrey in the role of a tough-guy cop whose lover is into kinky sex at crime scenes and who discovers some sort of conspiracy centered on the numeral 23. Walter is shocked at parallels between the novel and his life, including street addresses, license plates, letters in names, calendar dates, room numbers, etc., all of which add up to 23. What makes it creepier is that the 22-chapter unfinished manuscript predicts that its 23-haunted hero will kill the one he loves.

Is it any good?

1

Attention, comic-book collectors. Somehow a story from an old horror comic escaped, shanghaied some decent actors, clothed itself in fancy computer-aided cinematography, and turned itself into a movie. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of the cool stories that made the comics' covers. It's more like one of the inferior ones in the back, near the bodybuilding and mail-order Venus flytrap ads, dashed off in a hurry to make the publishing deadline.

It's called THE NUMBER 23, and it marks a rare non-comedic (well, not intentionally comedic, anyway) role for actor Jim Carrey. Carrey has done credible drama before (in The Majestic and a few others), but he's really marooned here in pretty hopeless material that might have functioned in print.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 16 reviews.

Age 13+
5


Posted on 03/21/08 by Chris LP Adult contributor

A Good Old Classic Mystery Story

3


Posted on 12/18/07 by directerdude123 Kid contributor, age 13

not that bad

This movie has a lot of violant killings and alot of people killing themselfs violantly. The language was not bad at all and I think this will be ok for kids 14+
5


Posted on 07/29/07 by auggie31 Kid contributor, age 13

5


Posted on 07/29/07 by dklink94 Kid contributor, age 13

both rated and unrated ones are good.

Sex: R Version isnt bad. like CSM said its like in video games. The UNRATED one had a fairly LARGE amount of Sex. and they last for quite a while sometimes Violence: i didnt notice much of a difference in the violence from the theatrical version to the unrated. Language:the UNRATED has about 5 or 6 more f-words than the Theatrical Cut. Drugs/alchohol: not much in eiter version Comercialism: none. whatsoever. social behavior: in the beginning of the movie all of the characters are normal (whatever that is) in the middle of the movie all of the characters are completely paranoid. 2/3=.666 the world spins on a 23.5 degree axis. 23 and 5=2+3. hitler killed himself april 1945 4+1+9+4+5=23. the hiroshima bomb was dropped at 8.15. 8+15=23. Jesus=64. 64/2=32 (23 backwards.) i LOVEDDDDDDDD both of the versions of this movie. after you see this movie you WILL start finding 23s everywhere. birthdays. execution dates. and lots more. good ending. proves that family can pull you through anything and that you can change yourself from what you were in the past. 14+
2

Posted on 07/28/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 12

9 vews

its ko but i think its not good for kids i thnk adults
Age 17+
2


Posted on 07/27/07 by tommysportsgirl Adult contributor

Is there even a point??

This movie wasn't scary. It was just goofy, and my boyfriend and I rolled our eyes through most of it. It made no sense, and the language and sex were pretty bad. I wouldn't see it again.
Age 8+
5

Posted on 05/22/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Great movie!

Thought provoking, exciting, and dark! Take your kids! Why not?
Age 13+
4

Posted on 03/13/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

LOVED IT

okay, well i had just recently saw this movie and i enjoyed it very much. It has a twist you will NVER SEE COMING! After i left the movie i could not stop counting thinsg that would add up to 23 (you would understand after you have seen the movie). SO GO OUT NOW AND SEE IT!. i telling you.. ur gonna regret it :]
5


Posted on 03/06/07 by XingerLily Kid contributor, age 16

Age 17+
5


Posted on 03/06/07 by 311Psychoward Adult contributor

Twisted sweet

Well Well where to start....This movie is a diferent twist to any normale movie, boring is about the last word i could use to discribe this movie. Jim Carry did a perfect job( as Always ) in setting the mood for a sane man gone nuts deep into his own mind, in a family course he could never escape no matter how high he jumps from. 311PsYChoBilLy

See all 16 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 9 reviews.

Age 13+
5


Posted on 03/21/08 by Chris LP Adult contributor

A Good Old Classic Mystery Story

Age 17+
2


Posted on 07/27/07 by tommysportsgirl Adult contributor

Is there even a point??

This movie wasn't scary. It was just goofy, and my boyfriend and I rolled our eyes through most of it. It made no sense, and the language and sex were pretty bad. I wouldn't see it again.
Age 8+
5

Posted on 05/22/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Great movie!

Thought provoking, exciting, and dark! Take your kids! Why not?
Age 13+
4

Posted on 03/13/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

LOVED IT

okay, well i had just recently saw this movie and i enjoyed it very much. It has a twist you will NVER SEE COMING! After i left the movie i could not stop counting thinsg that would add up to 23 (you would understand after you have seen the movie). SO GO OUT NOW AND SEE IT!. i telling you.. ur gonna regret it :]
Age 17+
5


Posted on 03/06/07 by 311Psychoward Adult contributor

Twisted sweet

Well Well where to start....This movie is a diferent twist to any normale movie, boring is about the last word i could use to discribe this movie. Jim Carry did a perfect job( as Always ) in setting the mood for a sane man gone nuts deep into his own mind, in a family course he could never escape no matter how high he jumps from. 311PsYChoBilLy
Age 17+
5


Posted on 03/01/07 by johnmcclane3 Adult contributor

Age 17+
3


Posted on 02/25/07 by deedeegon Adult contributor

Age 13+
4


Posted on 02/23/07 by reaper13546 Adult contributor

it had a great twist at the end and is a very good psycological thriller

Age 17+
5


Posted on 02/23/07 by bworley115 Adult contributor

Rated R for a reason

I think its great that Jim Carey is stepping out of his comidien role and trying something else. The mivie is rated R for a reason though people. For thoe f you who thought it was going to be kid friendly just because of an actor you should look at Johnny Depp. He goes from horror, to children's films and back again. There is a reason movies are rated.
See all 9 adult reviews>

Kids Reviews

There are 7 reviews.

3


Posted on 12/18/07 by directerdude123 Kid contributor, age 13

not that bad

This movie has a lot of violant killings and alot of people killing themselfs violantly. The language was not bad at all and I think this will be ok for kids 14+
5


Posted on 07/29/07 by auggie31 Kid contributor, age 13

5


Posted on 07/29/07 by dklink94 Kid contributor, age 13

both rated and unrated ones are good.

Sex: R Version isnt bad. like CSM said its like in video games. The UNRATED one had a fairly LARGE amount of Sex. and they last for quite a while sometimes Violence: i didnt notice much of a difference in the violence from the theatrical version to the unrated. Language:the UNRATED has about 5 or 6 more f-words than the Theatrical Cut. Drugs/alchohol: not much in eiter version Comercialism: none. whatsoever. social behavior: in the beginning of the movie all of the characters are normal (whatever that is) in the middle of the movie all of the characters are completely paranoid. 2/3=.666 the world spins on a 23.5 degree axis. 23 and 5=2+3. hitler killed himself april 1945 4+1+9+4+5=23. the hiroshima bomb was dropped at 8.15. 8+15=23. Jesus=64. 64/2=32 (23 backwards.) i LOVEDDDDDDDD both of the versions of this movie. after you see this movie you WILL start finding 23s everywhere. birthdays. execution dates. and lots more. good ending. proves that family can pull you through anything and that you can change yourself from what you were in the past. 14+
2

Posted on 07/28/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 12

9 vews

its ko but i think its not good for kids i thnk adults
5


Posted on 03/06/07 by XingerLily Kid contributor, age 16

4


Posted on 02/26/07 by inspiration-bg Kid contributor, age 17

Great Film

I haven't sat in a movie in a long time that actually had decent non predictable plot twists. This is up there w/ prestige. Carrey does a good job with the role this is his One Hour Photo (R. Williams) I found the film enjoyable, great lighting and cinematography. The film was a great brain teaser just enjoyable definitively worth a look into and I'm going to go see it again now.
1

Posted on 02/24/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 15

really weird, not what i was expecting

This movie seemed to go in an entirely different direction than the trailer suggested. It was a little to confusing and overall not very good, especially not for children.
See all 7 kids reviews >
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