Murder by Numbers (2002)

Disappointed

I was disappointed because this was supposed to be a new movie and I expected it to be packaged that way. It was not. It did come sooner than expected, however. August 8, 2008

great suspense drama movie

this is a well thought out movie with good acting and a good story. it has its twists and turns and entertains nicely. this is probably my favorite sandra bullock movie and ryan gosling did a great job in this movie. highly recommended June 17, 2008

It's a little `paint by numbers', but Gosling's performance makes it worth your time...

I am a huge fan of Sandra Bullock, but truth be told I enjoy my Bullock in those stellar romantic comedies she made her own. That isn't to say that I can't rally behind `Sandra Bullock-Serious Actress' but I have my preferences and they are mine to have. That said, I enjoyed `Murder by Numbers' for what it was, but it never became something overly memorable for me. Sandra does a decent enough job of getting inside her character, but her niche definitely lays within the romantic comedy and so there are times when this performance seems a tad forced. This isn't to say that Sandra can't pull off dramatic; just watch her performance in `Crash' and you'll see that she has the chops to pull off a well written character, but `Murder by Numbers' doesn't offer her anything more than a walking cliché to embody.

The film focuses on a disturbing murder of a young woman and the detective who tracks down the two boys who committed the crime. Sandra plays that said detective; Cassie Mayweather. Cassie has her own issues (when I mentioned clichés I was talking about her back-story; very been there done that) and these issues make this case all the more pertinent to her. The two boys who committed this crime; Richard and Justin; have a fun time stringing the detectives along with planted clues to lead them down the wrong path, all the while laughing in the face of destiny.

Sadly, these two young killers are also nothing more than a collective sum of movie villain clichés. Richard is the sarcastic and witty popular kid who bosses Justin around with confidence and a false sense of loyalty while Justin is the stark opposite; shy and introverted and obviously harboring some sort of attraction towards Richard, most likely due to Richard's apparent dominance.

A major highlight to the film, and something that helps elevate it to `worth checking out' territory, is Ryan Gosling's dynamic performance. Gosling has grown into one of our finest young actors as of late, and his performance here is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his abilities. What he does with Richard is phenomenal, taking an overly clichéd and familiar character and infusing so much originality and style that he becomes a character belonging only to Gosling. Sure, this same type of character has been attempted plenty of times before, but rarely this well.

As far as the remaining performances are concerned, they pale in comparison. Bullock does turn in some nice moments but this is far from her comfort zone and it shows. I commend her for branching out a bit but this is not her usual greatness. Ben Chaplin is really here to fill space and add to Mayweather's personal life. He is decent but forgettable. Michael Pitt, an actor who I can take or leave (I thought he was decent in `The Dreamers' but nothing special), is really pitiful here. He falls into his characters clichés full throttle and doesn't seem able to rise above them. He seems to play to his odd appearance too much, relying on his `little boy face' too much in order to relay his characters feelings. It doesn't work so well for him. When he attempts `brooding' it looks more like a young child who is pouting.

In the end I can say that `Murder by Numbers' is a decent thriller. What helps is the fact that the plot is interesting and the script is in parts very smart. It's a nice play on the `cat and mouse' type crime genre and, as I mentioned, Gosling really does make the most of what he's given. It's not perfect and it may never warrant repeat viewings but if you haven't seen it then you won't be wasting any time if you do. It is satisfying in what it's here for. It's just a shame the characters are a little too `paint by numbers'.

I couldn't resist. April 24, 2008

"Psychos want to get caught."

Sandra Bullock stars as Cassie Mayweather, a tough police detective who's investigating a murder with the help of her new partner (Ben Chaplin). There are a lot of clues that just don't add up, until Cassie begins to suspect two smart, rich, and very arrogant high school students (Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt).

Actually, we know who did it from the first moments of the film; the fun lies in seeing how Cassie will connect the dots and catch them. This is a terrific movie, full of suspense and action. Bullock's character wears a mask of bravado but is really quite wounded from a tragic incident in her past; this makes her vulnerable and likeable, and she has great screen presence. Chaplin holds his own with her, mixing detective work with inevitable romance, and Gosling and Pitt are outstanding as the creepy teens who think they've committed the perfect crime. We've seen this same basic plot before in Rope and Compulsion, and it's just as good here; a cat a mouse game that's intelligent and scary and kept me on the edge of my seat. Heartily recommended for fans of crime stories and of the talented Ms Bullock. December 23, 2007

Great early Gosling...but Bullock fails to convince

The best reason to see this movie now, several years after it came out, is to enjoy an early role from Ryan Gosling. In many ways, his performance as one of two empty, misguided teenage boys who commit murder just to see if they can do it got him the initial attention that later led to success in UNITED STATES OF LELAND, THE NOTEBOOK, HALF NELSON Half Nelson, FRACTURE, etc. He is very good, in a way that reminds me of early performances from Ed Norton. His mannerisms weren't so familiar yet...he seemed fresh and alive. When he's on screen...the movie pops and you can't take your eyes off him.

Michael Pitt, as the other killer, is a creepy presence as well...but he's a more predictable character...just kinda morose and an obvious outsider. He has no charisma (nor should he) and Gosling's character just stomps all over him. One could argue that Gosling isn't playing the movie at the same level as the rest of the cast...he's up on a different plane...and therefore he's really upstaging his fellow actors. But honestly, if it weren't for his out-there intensity...the movie would be a waste of time.

So, the criminals are mostly fun to watch. We enjoy seeing how they put it all together, and how the start to fall apart as the cops move in. That's fine. But on the other side, we have the "good guys" primarily represented by Sandra Bullock. We're to believe she's this damaged soul, driven to take reckless shortcuts and driven to sleep with (and dispose of) all her male partners. It's possible that a more feral actress, or a more skillful one, could have pulled off this rather ridiculous character. But Bullock flounders. Her relationship with her fellow cops consists mostly of her tossing off insults and innuendos...followed by unconvincing scenes of seduction. When she tries to rub Ben Chaplin's groin with her sock covered foot in an effort to arouse him...it was cringe-inducing...because Bullock looked so totally uninterested. Obviously, her character has been badly wounded in the past, and we can understand that her relationships with others might be spotty...but mostly she comes across as unlikeable and UNSYMPATHETIC. That's the big problem...we don't feel for her...we just dislike her.

The plot itself is fairly straightforward...and frankly, it wasn't really too hard to get these two "perfect criminals." It's the cat-and-mouse aspect we're most supposed to enjoy, as Gosling and Bullock play with each other. Gosling holds up his end of the act quite admirably...Bullock not so much.

It's an okay movie, and if you're a Gosling fan, it's a must see. But this SILENCE OF THE LAMB wannabe falls short of that high mark by a long shot. The Silence of the Lambs (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) September 25, 2007

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