
The Number 23
2007, Mystery and thriller, 1h 37m
190 Reviews 250,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Jim Carrey has been sharp in a number of non-comedic roles, but this lurid, overheated, and self-serious potboiler is not one of them. The Number 23 is clumsy, unengaging, and mostly confusing. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Walter Sparrow, Fingerling
Agatha Sparrow, Fabrizia
Robin Sparrow
Isaac French, Dr. Miles Phoenix
Laura Tollins
Kyle Finch
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Critic Reviews for The Number 23
All Critics (190) | Top Critics (56) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (175)
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For all its gimmicky numerology, The Number 23 just doesn't add up.
July 9, 2007 | Full Review… -
This thriller's biggest mistake is its belief that it's as clever and original as it is visually stylish.
April 27, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review… -
Pretty much every important date in history...can be teased to fit the pattern. What can't be hammered out of this fixation, apparently, is a coherent movie.
March 13, 2007 | Full Review… -
Schumacher is as much to blame for this mess as Carrey is. Over and over again, he mistakes looming shadows and manic outbursts for tension, and his ponderous, ham-fisted directorial style creates more questions than it answers.
March 10, 2007 | Rating: 0.5/5 | Full Review… -
It just adds up to sheer ineptitude.
March 3, 2007 | Rating: 1/6 | Full Review… -
It's no longer thrilling or even campy. It's just embarrassing.
February 26, 2007
Audience Reviews for The Number 23
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Nov 25, 2015Jim Carrey in a thriller about having an obsession with a number doesn't sound great and most critics thought that but I didn't think it was that bad it was a very hard film to watch as most of the time you're trying to keep up with the plot and adding those bloody numbers up to 23 you start to feel obsessed with 23 yourself, The film has a great plot some nice twists some were predictable and the ending should of been better but it kept me guessing how it's all connected and Jim Carrey does well in adding to the suspense and I think it deserved more credit than it got, It's a movie you can only watch once but it's also a movie that is worth watching the once.Jamie C Super Reviewer
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Oct 05, 2015It was difficult to tell if the Number 23 was an intentional joke or no. After the first hour I thought it was intentional spoof of the genre and came off as odd, but mildly interesting on account of the oddness. Then the film appears to become more serious as a mystery / thriller before making a strange turn at the end. If it was some intended cleverness, it was too clever for me, and if not then it was not clever enough.Robert B Super Reviewer
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Aug 02, 2015An eerie concept with an incoherent and selective script. The Number 23 is a flat, discombobulated thriller with Jim Carrey at his lowest. The film's hysteria with the number and twist (which was the only plus) is more-so annoying as it is frightening. 1/5Eugene B Super Reviewer
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Oct 24, 2013A well-crafted psychological thriller, The Number 23 is subtle in its intrigue and powerful in its story. After Walter Sparrow receives a used book titled "The Number 23" for his birthday, he becomes obsessed and comes to believe that the book has a secret code in it and that it's trying to tell him something. The casting is quite good, and features Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, and Rhona Mitra; Carrey in particular gives an especially impressive performance. And, Joel Schumacher does an excellent job at creating a dark noir visual style that has a sense of foreboding and mystery. Still, there are some weaknesses in the storytelling; as the plot gets a little convoluted and attempts one too many twists. Though it has some problems, The Number 23 is a compelling and provocative film.Dann M Super Reviewer
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