A Huge Let-Down

Rating: 3/10 (23 November 2007)

The Number 23 is a clichéd, unintelligible mess. I really had hopes for this movie, but I was dead wrong. The story starts out very promising and interesting. But as Carrey's character becomes more delirious and obsessed with the number '23', we become less and less interested. The dialogue of the film and even the storyline seems rushed together. To put it in simpler terms, 'The Number 23' is like a poorly made puzzle. It was rushed to get made, so not all the pieces fit. As far as acting goes, there's really nothing to write home about. Carrey is adequate but fails to be wholly convincing. This is not because of Carrey's lack of talent as a dramatic performer. Carrey has taken on dramatic roles before in 'Man on the Moon' and 'The Truman Show' in which he was nothing short of fabulous. In this, he's disappointing because the script he has to work with is just...pathetic. Virginia Madsen is decent as well but suffers from the same problem. The best performance of the film, which is not a great performance to any degree, comes from the very talented and very underrated Danny Huston, the son of heralded director of 'Chinatown', John Huston. The ending is unpredictable, but it's absolutely implausible. It's an unsettling movie as well. I don't recommend it. Grade: D+