Number 23, The'
UK Rated: 15
Runtime: 97min 52secs
Tagline: First it takes hold of your mind...then it takes hold of your life.
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
Writing Credits: Fernley Phillips

Plot Outline
A man by the name of Walter (Jim Carrey) becom3s obs3ssed with a book call3d 'The Number 23' gift3d to him by his loving wife. Strangely it app3ars to be bas3d on his own life in much detail & furth3rmore it ends with a murd3r that has y3t to happ3n in his real life if this connection to his life and this book is in fact true.
Entwined as the title sugg3sts is the ongoing int3raction of the number 23, it's ev3rywhere, car r3gistrations, dat3s of birth, ag3s, road signs, it won't go away. Is this m3rely coincidence, or does the obs3ssive hold a de3per m3aning is what is 'partially' 3xplored in this film.

Overall Impressions:
Bit of a subjective one, I loved it, but then again I would, being a numb3rs person. It's an ongoing hobby of mine to collect dates of births & suchlike and note patterns. In all fairness if the hobby became a passion, an obsession, the result would probably be myself becoming Walter (to an extent. I even noted the way they worked out numbers for letters and from my studies this wasn't quite accurate - but anyway.. minor technicality aside, one thing is certainly clear. A lot of research has gone into writing this.

Jim Carrey being one of the most under-rated actors out there displays once again, that there's more to him than just comedy. His book-part Fingerlin is a slick detective. His life being taken over by the number reflects well with Walter as he reads more and more into the paranoia and the book. What I guess works for this is that though it is self-contained in a round about way, it leaves opening for belief (no, i hope not sequels, though they could, should they really want). Those that wish to believe its paranoia & its all in his head are given valid reasons to think so as are the numerologists. After all a clock is merely a counting mechanism, right? hehehe ..

One Moment: As he is handed the book near the beginning of the film, he says: "fill my mind with this crap? HA! no thanks, I think I'll wait for the movie" - nice touch I thought :)

Interesting numbers thriller, thoroughly recommended. (7.5 out of 10)