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Critical Consensus: "911" Is A (Mildly Funny) Joke; Count "23" Out
by Tim Ryan | February 22, 2007
Blog Article | Discuss Article
This week at the movies, we've got wacky cops ("Reno 911!: Miami"), numerological tension ("The Number 23," starring Jim Carrey), a rocket man ("The Astronaut Farmer," starring Billy Bob Thornton), and a haunted house ("The Abandoned"). What do the critics have to say?

On the small screen, the "COPS" parody "Reno 911," with its incompetent lawmen, zany situations, and absurd fashions, is good for its share of laughs. In the multiplex? Critics say "Reno 911!: Miami" is a slightly less arresting proposition. The gang heads to Miami to break up a terrorist plot on spring break; hilarity ensues. Sketch comedy is often on shaky ground when moved from the tube to the big screen, and a few of the critics say "Reno 911" is no exception; they feel the film has some good laughs but ultimately runs out of steam. Others say that fans of the show will get exactly what they want. At 55 percent on the Tomatometer, "911" is a call you have to make for yourself. (Check out an interview with "Reno 911" cast members by RT's own Jen Yamato.)


"Reno 911!: Miami," invoking the spirit of "Baywatch Nights."

I don't know about you, but when I think of the number 23, visions of Michael Jordan dance in my head. (Or perhaps former Red Sox first baseman Brian Daubach.) Director Joel Schumacher and star Jim Carrey want the titular figure to be synonymous with psychological intrigue, but the critics say it's more like the law of diminishing returns. Carrey stars as a man whose wife (Virginia Madsen) has given him a pulp novel that appears to be about his life, and he subsequently becomes fixated on the number 23, which seems to turn up everywhere he goes. The pundits say "The Number 23" is incomprehensible and overly busy, draining the film of suspense. At 11 percent on the Tomatometer, you may want to subtract "The Number 23" from your list.


The tomatometer of "Pet Detective" minus the tomatometer of "When Nature Calls" equals ...23!

Here's a high concept for you: "Field of Dreams" in orbit. Sound ridiculous? Well, cynics be darned; critics say "The Astronaut Farmer" is a heartwarming fairytale, an inspirational family film that seems out of place in contemporary Hollywood. The movie tells the tale of a former astronaut (Billy Bob Thornton) who, facing foreclosure on his farm, dreams of building his own rocket against all odds. The pundits say "The Astronaut Farmer" is a heartwarming ride, featuring a strong sense of its Midwestern locale helmed with an unpretentious, pleasant directorial touch by the Polish brothers. At 78 percent on the Tomatometer, "The Astronaut Farmer" may be worth a ride.


"I sure do like them french fried potaters, mmm hmmm."

It appears that the people behind "The Abandoned" have, ahem, abandoned it, since it wasn't screened for critics. The film tells the story of a woman who returns to the house where she was born in a remote part of Russia; horrifying events ensue. Get a search party together and Guess that Tomatometer.

Also opening this week in limited release: "Starter for 10," a Britcom about a working class kid at a posh university, is at 86 percent; "Glastonbury," a rockumentary about England's most venerable music festival, is at 73 percent; "Cocaine Angel," a harrowing no-budget indie about a few days in the lives of Florida addicts, is at 60 percent; "Amazing Grace," about William Wilberforce's 20 year struggle to end slavery in the British Empire, is at 55 percent; and "Gray Matters," a rom-com about a brother and sister expanding their romantic horizons starring Heather Graham, is at 20 percent.


Morrissey waxes poetic about his comatose girlfriend in "Glastonbury."

Finally, props to FernandoDANTE and alwaysforevernow for coming the closest to guessing "Ghost Rider"'s Tomatometer of 27 percent. Get your respective motors running, and then, subsequently, head out on the highway.

Recent Jim Carrey Movies:
----------------------------------
27% -- Fun With Dick and Jane (2005)
71% -- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
93% -- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
49% -- Bruce Almighty (2003)
42% -- The Majestic (2001)

Recent Billy Bob Thornton Movies:
-------------------------------------------
27% -- School for Scoundrels (2006)
46% -- The Ice Harvest (2005)
45% -- The Bad News Bears (2005)
79% -- Chrystal (2004)
82% -- Friday Night Lights (2004)

Related Items
Movie: The Ice Harvest
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Cocaine Angel
Bruce Almighty
The Abandoned
Amazing Grace
The Majestic
Gray Matters
School for Scoundrels
Reno 911!: Miami
Glastonbury
The Astronaut Farmer
Friday Night Lights
Ghost Rider
Bad News Bears
The Number 23
Field of Dreams
Fun with Dick and Jane
Chrystal
Starter For 10
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Celeb: Jim Carrey
Joel Schumacher
Billy Bob Thornton
Virginia Madsen
Heather Graham
Michael Polish
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Comments (1-10 of 10 posts) | Reply
90552
originalsince84 writes:
on Feb 22 2007 05:09 PM

number 23 sounded like it could be a fun, intriguing thriller...then i saw the trailer and it looked like crap. I'm a big fan of Jim Carrey but after Eternal Sunshine, his movie choices have been terrible. I'm hoping his career didn't peak with Eternal.

(Reply to this)
328893
alwaysforevernow writes:
on Feb 22 2007 05:28 PM

Abandoned... 12% tomatometer

(Reply to this)
258948
dreday writes:
on Feb 22 2007 05:44 PM

The Abandoned- 42%

(Reply to this)
372470
rdproductions writes:
on Feb 22 2007 08:20 PM

The Abandoned - 07%

(Reply to this)
AstroZombie138
AstroZombie138 writes:
on Feb 23 2007 05:25 AM

Abandoned - 16%

(Reply to this)
251135
swkotor writes:
on Feb 23 2007 06:53 AM

Abandoned - 32 %

(Reply to this)
AudioNinja writes:
on Feb 23 2007 07:24 AM

Abandoned - 09%

==TJ==


(Reply to this)
unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Feb 23 2007 12:09 PM

I'm going to go see Breach, and yes I still will see The Number 23 also.
Abandoned-23% yeah how about that.


(Reply to this)
388224
FernandoDANTE writes:
on Feb 23 2007 03:23 PM

(Rides away with motorcicle, self-congratulating)

The Abandoned: 20%


(Reply to this)
27401
Count_Vertigo writes:
on Feb 23 2007 08:42 PM

Does anybody remember The Abandoned from the After Dark "8 Movies To Die For" Horror Fest last year? I heard it was so popular that they re-released it on its own. That's gotta say something good about it. I give it 25% positive.

(Reply to this)
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