The Number 23

The Number 23 (Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen) – I was prepared not to like this film based on the reviews I had read.  But I really, really liked it.  Particularly after seeing the perfectly awful Premonition, this psychological thriller holds together well as the audience tries to figure out the clues before they become obvious.  Apparently, the number 23 has been the source of pop mythology for a long time, and it haunts Carrey’s character, Walter Sparrow, as he reads a book written by Topsy Kretz (Top Secrets).  As the suspense builds and the mystery unravels, largely through his wife, Agatha’s (Madsen) exploration, much is revealed to both the audience and to Sparrow.  Fans of the crazy, comedic Carrey won’t like this any more than they liked The Majestic or Man on the Moon, but he is quite a versatile actor.  He shows excellent range here and, coupled with Madsen, there is chemistry that is palpable and riveting.  She goes from amused by her husband’s growing obsession with 23 to enlightened and frightened by what she finds out.  For the life of me, I don’t know what the critics disliked about this film, but I’ll bet it centers on their desire to typecast Carrey.