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The Number 23

Play trailer Poster for The Number 23 R 2007 1h 37m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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7% Tomatometer 189 Reviews 56% Popcornmeter 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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The Number 23

The Number 23

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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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Critics Reviews

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Tom Charity CNN.com For all its gimmicky numerology, The Number 23 just doesn't add up. Jul 9, 2007 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review A nauseatingly absurd film Rated: 0.5/4 Mar 8, 2024 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Audience Member Movie is alright for a one time watch... Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 05/24/25 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
The Number 23

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Cast & Crew

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Joel Schumacher

Director

Jim Carrey

Walter Sparrow

Virginia Madsen

Agatha Sparrow

Logan Lerman

Robin Sparrow

Danny Huston

Isaac French

Rhona Mitra

Laura Tollins

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The Number 23

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Movie Info

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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