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The Number 23

The Number 23

First it takes hold of your mind...then it takes hold of your life.

200798 minRMidcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Director
Joel Schumacher
Starring
Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Logan Lerman, Danny Huston

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.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Number 23?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Number 23 streaming on Howdy via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime VideoNew

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Number 23?

The Number 23 earns 6 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Box Office Hit.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Number 23 worth watching?

The Number 23's Midcredits score is the 56th percentile of all films, from 361K ratings across 4 sources. 54% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

56th percentile

Better received than 56% of films

57th percentile among Crime53rd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)52nd
Approval (how many liked it)58th

62 /100

52nd percentile of all films

54th percentile among Crime52nd percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.5 — solid but not unanimous.

54% liked it

58th percentile of all films

58th percentile among Crime55th percentile among 2000s
54% rated it 7–1046% rated it 1–6

Critics 7% · Audience 56%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 5 noms overall

98th percentile

361K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Crime96th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 33% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$15M
Domestic gross$35M
Worldwide gross$78M

Returned 2.6× its budget — 94th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A darkly stylish psychological thriller that builds an intriguing mystery around the number 23 but fails to deliver a satisfying, logical conclusion.

Fans praised

  • Jim Carrey's committed dramatic performance
  • stylish film noir visual design and atmosphere
  • intriguing premise about obsession and numerology

Detractors panned

  • predictable, clichéd twist ending
  • laughable dialogue and forced numerology
  • plot holes and illogical character actions

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive80

stylish noir visuals, dark color palette, and clever transitions between reality and fiction

ActingDivisive72

Jim Carrey's serious role praised by fans; detractors find him miscast or wooden

AtmosphereDivisive70

dark, moody, and unsettling tone praised by fans

OriginalityDivisive55

fresh premise of numerological obsession but derivative execution

TensionDivisive55

effective suspense in first half, dissipates in final act

PacingDivisive45

slow build with repetitive numerology; rushed third act

Plot and storyDivisive35

interesting premise undermined by contrived numerology, plot holes, and weak final act

EndingDivisive30

disappointing, predictable, and over-explained twist resolution

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 23 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Number 23 like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch or you want every question answered.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film plays its paranoid, psychological thriller premise straight, with no irony, treating the obsession and mystery with serious intensity.
The rideThe film maintains a constant tense and paranoid atmosphere, with the middle section carrying the heaviest revelations and confrontations.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional three-act structure but incorporates a frame story through the book-within-the-film, with intermittent flashbacks to reveal the past.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's exploration of obsession and repressed memory lingers, while the emotional resolution leaves a mixed feeling of justice and loss.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MysteryEnigma
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2% (this title)
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Enigma: The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).

7% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story is driven by a man trying to uncover the truth behind a book that mirrors his life, ultimately revealing his own forgotten crime and hidden identity.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfMemorySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% (this title) · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% (this title) · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Memory · 3% of filmsObsession · 3% of films: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Guilt · 3% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how repressed memories and an obsessive fixation on a number force a man to confront his own hidden guilt and violent past.
StanceThe film interrogates the reliability of memory and the nature of guilt through one man's obsessive journey into his own past.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicForeground music · original score · Harry Gregson-Williams
SettingA contemporary unnamed American city, with a family home, a hotel, and an abandoned asylum.
MusicGregson-Williams' score blends noirish jazz with tense electronic elements, underscoring the paranoid mood.

Content guide

Is The Number 23 okay for kids?

R

The Number 23 is rated R: “Rated R for violence, disturbing images, sexuality and language” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (81/100), sexual content at intense (65/100), language at moderate (58/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (25/100) and frightening material at intense (68/100). Overall it is heavier than 58% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 17 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceU
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia16+
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 75% of all filmsHeavier than 58% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 66%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 82%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 34%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 10%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 61%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, frightening material, and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Number 23 have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Number 23?

Cast

Jim Carrey
as Walter Sparrow
Virginia Madsen
as Agatha Sparrow
Logan Lerman
as Robin Sparrow
Danny Huston
as Isaac French
Lynn Collins
as Suicide Blonde
Rhona Mitra
as Laura Tollins
Mark Pellegrino
as Kyle Flinch
Ed Lauter
as Father Sebastian
David Stifel
as Hotel Clerk
Corey Stoll
as Sergeant Burns

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Number 23?

Movies like The Number 23 include A Kind of Murder (2016), Killing Me Softly (2002) and Don't Worry Darling (2022). Of the 12 closest matches, most are psychological thrillers, and most are stories about marriages in crisis.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its story type: enigma. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Number 23?

1.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: neo-noir. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.