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The Number 23

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The Number 23

R

Released Feb 23, 2007

1h 37m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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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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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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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Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

Takes a decent premise and turns it into utter trash.

Nov 21, 2019

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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

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Jimmy B

Lol my favorite movie and its rated 7%... oh well, here is my review. Jim Carrey in a serious credible role was refreshing, the soundtrack is incredible, the plot takes you here and there without never spoiling the end which will get you in awe. My personnal best.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/30/25

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Brad S. R

Not offensive, but very, very dull.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/20/25

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Audience Member

Worst movie I have ever watched. People who say the critics are wrong and the movie is not that bad: don't believe them. Yes, Jim Carrey gives a good performance here, but everything else is just all over the place. The movie tries so hard to make you belive the numerology and the obssession with the number 23 is brilliant, but in the end is just so random and non-sense. The movie is confusing and bad directed with everything happening so fast and a lot of exposition. If you ponder a little you can fully understand the movie, but that does not make it good. Afterwards, it just continues to be a messy premise that requires a lot of reality suspension to be believed.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/25

Full Review

Chrissy C

It´s upsetting how insanely inept and preposterous this disaster is. Joel Schumacher did have his good days but he often struggled with tone and what the man who directed A time to Kill was going for here,I can not tell. It reads like a overstuffed,unecessarily convoluted mystery with very occult overtones signifying nothing,Jim Carrey plays his lead as a tortured soul stuck in a generic drama and mr.S directs the whole thing as a glossy,wannabe noirish potboiler that looks cheap with dashes of pg-13 creepiness and it´s all just very "what the hell am I watching"? Great cast though,never any shade on Virginia Madsen.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/03/25

Full Review

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Joel Schumacher

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Jim Carrey

Walter 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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