Murder by Numbers (2002)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Barbet Schroeder

Writer (WGA):

Tony Gayton (written by)

Release Date:

19 April 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Justice will be served

Plot:

Two gifted high school students execute a "perfect" murder - then become engaged in an intellectual contest with a seasoned homicide detective.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | High School | Investigation | FBI | Psycho Thriller

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 16

1:00 AM

HBO

Cast

Sandra Bullock	...	Cassie Mayweather / Jessica Marie Hudson
Ben Chaplin	...	Sam Kennedy
Ryan Gosling	...	Richard Haywood
Michael Pitt	...	Justin Pendleton
Agnes Bruckner	...	Lisa Mills
Chris Penn	...	Ray Feathers
R.D. Call	...	Captain Rod Cody
Tom Verica	...	Asst. D.A. Al Swanson
Janni Brenn	...	Ms. Elder
John Vickery	...	Restaurant Manager
Michael Canavan	...	Mr. Chechi
Krista Carpenter	...	Olivia Lake, the Victim
Neal Matarazzo	...	Male Officer in Flashback
Adilah Barnes	...	Lab Technician
Jim Jansen	...	Lawyer

Also Known As:

Foolproof (USA) (working title)
Murd3r 8y Num8ers (USA) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language, a sex scene and brief drug use.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut) | France:U (with warning) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R (Certifitcate #38866) | Portugal:M/16 | Philippines:R-18 | Australia:M (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Altadena, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The scene near the end of the movie, where Ryan Gosling licks Sandra Bullock's face, was not scripted. After a few takes, Gosling asked Bullock if it would be okay if he added it in to prove his character's sick nature.

Goofs:

Continuity: Justin tells Richard to give him the surgical gloves. Richard already has one of the gloves fully on, yet hands both to Richard without taking it off.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Richard: Shall we say the words one last time?
Justin: One cannot live fully without embracing suicide in crime.
Richard: Say it.
Justin: A pact made with relentless fire that requires that, while some live, others die.
Richard: On three...
in unison: One, two, three
[gun shot]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

What Led Me to This Town

The numbers don't really add up

It's a swell thriller: a reasonably sophisticated plot, with some neat twists and turns, good camera work, and a kind of satisfactory ending. But just as with the murder story in question, the flaws become apparent at closer examination.

Most important, the characters are not sufficiently presented and explained. The deadly duet shows a very close relation, but not what keeps it so close. It would be easy enough to understand, if they were lovers. Then their quarrel over a girl also makes sense. Since they are not - as far as the movie shows us - their relation remains a mystery.

The same, to a lesser extent, is true about the detective duet. Bullock is not really able to convince with her tough exterior to hide inner wounds, although that should be easy for an actor of her experience, and her male colleague gets no room in the film to show us why he stands her, after what she puts him through the very first days they work together.

Although it's mainly a thriller, I guess this movie would have needed some additional efforts on the drama of it, the emotional processes included in it. Maybe it's all too logical - like numbers.