23 is POO! (P=16 O=15. 16+15+15=46. 46 divided by 2=23)

Rating: 2/10 (31 August 2007)

Joel Schumacher is an unpredictable director whose output runs the gamut from the sublimely brilliant (Falling Down), to the enjoyably trashy (St. Elmo's Fire, The Lost Boys, 8mm), to the shockingly awful (Batman and Robin).
Jim Carrey is a star who shines brightest when he is making people laugh, although he has proved that he can also play it straight too, when called upon to do so (The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Truman Show, The Majestic, Man on the Moon).
The Number 23, the second film directed by Schumacher to star Carrey (the two worked together previously on Batman Forever), is, unfortunately, one of the weakest efforts to appear on either's CV, but the blame really lies with Fernley Phillips, the writer of this convoluted and unbelievable mess. He desperately wants his script to be oh-so-clever, with a denouement that comes out of left-field and stuns viewers with its originality; instead, he loads it with plot-holes aplenty, mawkish sentimentality, and a ridiculous ending.
Carrey plays Walter Sparrow, an affable dog-catcher who becomes obsessed with The Number 23, a book about a detective called Fingerling, whose life bizarrely mirrors his own. In the book, Fingerling becomes obsessed with the number 23, which he discovers occurs in all aspects of life. Sparrow realises this to be true and becomes fascinated with the concept.
As Sparrow delves further into the strange book, his paranoia grows, and he uncovers a terrible secret which turns his life upside-down.
Despite his best efforts (he packs the film with plenty of stylish flourishes), Schumacher is unable to rescue The Number 23 from sinking under the weight of its flawed premise, and contrived and nonsensical plot twists. Put quite simply, the film doesn't make any sense!
Unfortunately, the only way for you to truly understand how messed up this film is, is to watch it for yourself.