by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
I’ve learned a lot by watching movies over the years. I’ve learned that if you’re planning to share some spaghetti with a mob boss’ son, always check the back of the toilet tank beforehand. I’ve learned that if a 6-foot bunny rabbit named Frank visits you in your dreams, you should probably listen to what he has to say. I’ve learned that ligers are quite real and are bred for their skills in magic. Jim Carrey’s latest film, The Number 23, taught me some things too. The film is now available on DVD.
While her husband Walter (Jim Carrey) is late picking her up, Agatha Sparrow (Virginia Madsen) browses the shelves of a bookstore and comes across a curious book called “The Number 23.” After thumbing through the novel, she buys it as a birthday gift for Walter and the two head on their way. A few short days later, Walter has become obsessed with the book’s subject, the 23 enigma, and the main character, Fingerling. He begins picturing himself as Fingerling, picking up on similarities between the tortured detective in the book and the mundane dog catcher Walter actually is. Soon he’s seeing the number everywhere. He adds up dates to get 23. He counts the letters in names to get 23. What he initially chalked up to coincidence gets increasingly eerie until Walter himself is on the brink of madness. Each chapter unveils more clues to what Walter sees as a mystery only he can solve.
It turns out there really are some people who believe that the number 23 has a great deal of significance, much like how some fear the number 666. Whether or not the number 23 is a “blessing” or a “curse” seems to depend on the individual believer. Carrey himself is one such person. He’s had a long time “connection” to the number 23 and has even gone so far as to name his production company “JC23” after his personal obsession with it. The Number 23 director Joel Schumacher also has a strange connection to the number: this was his 23rd film.
The Number 23 is now available in an unrated Infinifilm edition DVD. As with all Infinifilm releases, the extras are scattered throughout in a cool but mildly confusing way. Luckily for those who enjoyed the film, there are plenty of supplements to attempt to find on the discs multiple menu screens. An audio commentary track with Schumacher is available as well as the standard “Infinifilm presentation,” which adds pop-ups with factoids during the film.
There are also sixteen deleted scenes, including an alternate opening and ending, both of which are more interesting than the rest. Three featurettes also made the cut. First is “Making of The Number 23,” where the filmmakers and the cast pat themselves on the back for 23 minutes. Next is “Creating the World of Fingerling,” where the production design and visual effects are examined. Finally, in “The Number 23 Enigma,” mathematicians, numerologists and psychologists explain the history of the phenomenon and why some people find it so fascinating.
Based on the plot synopsis alone, I was intrigued by The Number 23. I didn’t care if it got a miserable 8% rotten rating on RottenTomatoes.com, the premise had me hooked and there was no turning back. I should have listened to my fellow critics. I should have heeded their stern, snarky warnings and picked up Zodiac. Instead, I was stuck with this, a film that had the right idea but lacked the execution and consistency to do it justice. The Number 23 could have been great. The acting from both Madsen and Carrey was pretty good. I was able to see past Carrey’s comedic past and really get into his character and Madsen did a phenomenal job as both matronly Agatha and sultry Fabrizia. And I was fully on board with the story until it crumbled into a cliché-ridden mess in the last act. Truly, I have never seen something with so much potential fail so quickly and so completely in all my life. Here was an idea that could have worked, should have worked, and yet apparently no one had the forethought to finish the story in a way that is halfway believable.
The ending, which I won’t give away in case, for some reason beyond my understanding, someone actually wants to watch this train wreck, makes very little sense. It’s not that it’s confusing, it just doesn’t work. During the entire film you’re expecting a pay off that is worthy of these terrific characters and interesting premise. What you get are plot holes the size of Kansas that destroy any and all hope of suspending disbelief. It was as if someone on the set said “OK, guys, we’re at the hour and a half mark. Let’s wrap this up as quickly and sloppily as possible.” Once the credits rolled, I felt cheated, which is a something a moviegoer should never feel if anyone working on the film was doing their job right.
So, what did I learn from The Number 23? I learned that just because a story sounds like it can’t miss doesn’t mean it can’t. I learned that no amount of decent acting in the world can make up for a weak ending. I also learned that my full name has 23 letters. That would freak me out if I wasn’t so darn disappointed.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
