A Review of The Number 23

I have been on a movie kick lately. In the past week, I've seen Reno:911 - Miami, Wild Hogs and The Number 23. I was actually really looking forward to watching this film, as the number 23 is very significant to me. I was born on 9/23. My first "real" boyfriend was born on 1/23. I graduated high school on 6/23. My high school prom was on 5/23. One of my best friends is born on 8/23. My Aunt Jean, whom I am very close with, is born on 7/23. My first step-father was born on 12/23. The list of events occurring on the 23rd of the month goes on and on.

The premise of The Number 23 is, well, the number 23. Walter Sparrow (Jim Carrey) is given a book from his wife Agatha (Virginia Madsen) called The Number 23. As he reads the story about Fingerling and Fabritzia, Walter begins to think that the book was written about his life. Soon, Walter fixates on the number 23 and how it appears in his own life, and soon drags his son Robin (Logan Lerman) into the insanity.

Along with being stalked by an ominous dog named Ned (N is the 14th letter of the alphabet, E is the 5th, D is the 4th: 14 + 5 + 4 = 23) and worrying about his wife having an affair with her friend, Issac (who has the numbers 2 and 3 in his license plate), Walter begins to think that he is losing his mind. He tries to figure out who the author of the book, under the pseudonym Topsy Kretts, really is and why he/she would write so much about him.

Walter begins to have violent dreams about killing his wife, so he leaves the house in the middle of the night. He finds a PO Box number on two pages stuck together, and Robin comes up with a way to find out who published the book. Once they do, all heck breaks loose.

Walter grows increasingly suspicious of his wife because, when he returns home every now and again, Isaac (Danny Huston) is constantly there. It is obvious that Isaac is interested in Agatha, and it makes Walter very angry. Yet, Walter doesn't do anything about it. He just lets it all stew inside.

Soon, Walter figures out a secret message that he believes is meant only for him. He and his son follow the message to solve the mystery of The Number 23, only to have what they find disappear before the proper authorities show up.