The Number 23
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Number 23 is a suspense film starring Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, and Danny Huston, directed by Joel Schumacher. It was released in theaters on February 23 2007. It was subsequently released on DVD on July 24 2007 (23 July in the UK), and premiered on HBO on Saturday April 19, 2008. The plot involves an obsession with the 23 Enigma, an esoteric belief that all incidents and events are directly connected to the number 23, some permutation of the number 23, or a number related to the number 23. This is the second film to pair Schumacher and Carrey, the first being Batman Forever. This is Carrey's first suspense thriller.
Reception
The film has received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, with a current rating of 8% on Rotten Tomatoes. Of the few critics who liked the film, Richard Roeper and critic George Pennachio of KABC-TV in Los Angeles stand out, as they gave the film a "2 thumbs up" rating on the television show Ebert & Roeper (Pennachio was standing in for Roger Ebert due to Ebert's recent illness). However, Michael Phillips, filling in for Ebert on the Worst of 2007 show (aired January 12, 2008) put 23 at No. 77 in his list of the worst (Roeper did not include it in his list). Peter Travers (of Rolling Stone) declared the film the year's worst Star Vehicle on his list of the Worst Movies of 2007, while Colm Andrew of the Manx Independent said the film "delivers a rambling, confusing narrative with only a few stylistic elements thrown in".
Star Jim Carrey was nominated for the 2008 Razzie Award for Worst Actor, for his performance.
Gross revenue
On its opening weekend, The Number 23 took in $14,602,867 (according to Box Office Mojo), coming in behind "the Nicolas Cage comeback ride" Ghost Rider which grossed $20.1 million. Total, the film grossed $35,193,167 at the box office domestically. Worldwide the film grossed $77,566,815.
