The Number 23

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The Number 23

R

Released Feb 23, 2007

1h 37m

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

7%

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189 Reviews

56%

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250,000+ Ratings

A man's (Jim Carrey) discovery of an obscure book about the number 23 leads him on a descent into darkness. As he becomes more obsessed with its contents, he becomes more convinced that it is, in fact, based on his life. To his horror, he discovers grave consequences in store for the book's main character.

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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.

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Tom Charity

CNN.com

For all its gimmicky numerology, The Number 23 just doesn't add up.

Jul 9, 2007

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George Palathingal

Sydney Morning Herald

This thriller's biggest mistake is its belief that it's as clever and original as it is visually stylish.

Rated: 2.5/5

Apr 27, 2007

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Jonathan F. Richards

Film.com

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.

Mar 13, 2007

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David Day

Horror Movie Talk

The constant adding and subtracting of seemingly symbolic numbers to achieve the number 23 falls so flat in what it tries to achieve that I can only laugh.

Rated: 2/10

Sep 23, 2025

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

A nauseatingly absurd film

Rated: 0.5/4

Mar 8, 2024

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Schumacher is in his clenched, “realistic” mode here, and Carrey gives a grim, exhausted performance that would better suit a more serious movie.

Rated: D

Sep 20, 2022

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Mateo O

A TOUGH STORY TO GET THROUGH. It shows a man broken by paranoia... it's not about the reality of the conspiracy, you're witnessing the conspiracy through the eyes of someone who believes it. It's pretty clever.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/26/25

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Leaburn O

I’ve always felt like there are patterns affecting my fate. The Number 23 helped dispel those notions in the most boring way possible. Not enough pay off to bother watching this road to nowhere. Watched in DVD.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/03/25

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Stefei B

The critics have clearly never had a family member or other loved one with severe paranoia; this movie is so well done. Jim Carrey was brilliant. It is my favorite of all of his movies; he portrays the fragile mentality behind people driven by paranoia in the most poignant and heart-breakingly realistic way. Glad for the reviewers that they never had to deal with this personally; those of us who HAVE, however, can see the clarity and the obsession, within the story and the performances. If you have someone with paranoia in your life, this movie will help you understand them better. And I say this as someone who has struggled against learned paranoia, from my mother.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/27/25

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Jerod S

Man - what a numerical mess. Anything can equal 23 if you work hard enough - which i guess is the kind of crazy they wanted Carrey to portray.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/31/25

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Audience Member

Movie is alright for a one time watch...

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/24/25

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Igor S

The number 23 might be the most focused thriller, neither the consistent in terms of narrative and tone. But i still think it's an exercise on obsession and what it can do too ones mind, that is worth watching. Just don't think too much if in the end it all makes sense or not, otherwise eithet the movie falls appart or you might be going down the obsession path as well.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/04/25

Full Review

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Joel Schumacher

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Jim Carrey

Walter Sparrow

Virginia Madsen

Agatha Sparrow

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Synopsis

A man's (Jim Carrey) discovery of an obscure book about the number 23 leads him on a descent into darkness. As he becomes more obsessed with its contents, he becomes more convinced that it is, in fact, based on his life. To his horror, he discovers grave consequences in store for the book's main character.

Director: Joel Schumacher
Producer: Fernley Phillips, Beau Flynn, Tripp Vinson
Screenwriter: Fernley Phillips
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: New Line Cinema, Contrafilm
Rating: R (Language|Disturbing Images|Sexuality|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 23, 2007, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 19, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $35.1M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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