A very nice psychothriller

Rating: 8/10 (28 July 2007)

I had to get rid of my wife before watching this film as she totally refused to watch a Jim Carrey film. I can understand her reluctance to watch a movie she sees as another series of weird faces and toilet humour like The Mask or Ace Ventura.
But no, this movie is nothing like that. I always thought Jim Carrey has it in him to be a great actor. I don't know if this particular movie is a masterpiece of his, but he plays well and fits the character as a glove. You can associate this film with the Truman Show, I guess.
It is hard to talk about the movie without spoiling things. The obsession with the number 23 is not the bulk of the film, though, it's just a premise for a smart, intelligent script. The movie is also a combination of noir-detective film and psychological thriller.
Bottom line: way under-marked film on IMDb, without being a great movie, it is a good one, one that deserves recognition for a smart, unpredictable story and good acting.