Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Animal control officer Walter Sparrow becomes obsessed with a novel that he believes was written about him, as more and more similarities between himself and his literary alter ego seem to arise.
The Number 23 builds an intriguing premise around numerical obsession but squanders it with a convoluted, ultimately ridiculous twist ending that undermines the psychological tension it worked to build. Jim Carrey's dramatic turn is earnest but uneven, toggling awkwardly between his noir fantasy alter ego and the suburban everyman. The cinematography delivers some stylish noir-tinged visuals in the fantasy sequences, providing the film's most consistent quality. The concept of obsessive numerology as a thriller engine has some novelty, though it's executed with more flash than substance. The reveal in the finale collapses under scrutiny and feels both predictable and unsatisfying.