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Amazon.co.uk Review
Murder by Numbers is a satisfying, if hardly earth-shattering, addition to Sandy Bullock's CV and the thriller genre in general. While director Barbet Schroeder ratcheted up the tension in his Single White Female, here the action coasts along at a more sedate pace with a tale of teenage murderers that's loosely based on a real incident. (The same incident was the basis for two other movies: Rope and Compulsion.)
Bullock plays seasoned cop Cassie Mayweather, who links the murder of a young woman in Los Angeles to two high-school students. Cassie and her partner (Ben Chaplin) engage in the obligatory game of cat-and-mouse with the two teenagers before the ludicrous finale. It could have been a good film, but Murder by Numbers continually misses the interesting point that this was a crime committed by highly intelligent young men simply for the intellectual thrill of it; instead, it serves up a by-the-numbers thriller with all the trappings of a TV movie. The performances are solid (especially that by Ryan Gosling, who plays one of the murderous teens) but there are so many gaping holes in both plot and logic that the film pretty much manages to disappear into them.
On the DVD: Murder by Numbers gets a by-the-numbers DVD release. The normally commentary-friendly Ms Bullock is absent from the chit-chat here, and the director and editor really don't throw up anything of significant interest beyond discussing an extra scene that they claim is included on the DVD but in fact seems absent and giving the reasons why they couldn't use the high school locations originally planned. The DVD also includes the trailer. A good sharp transfer and strong Dolby 5.1 mix are the plus points. --Jon Weir
Product Description
Warner, Bros., Region 2 PAL 2002 120 mins
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
this is an interesting side-step for sandra bullock (one that i wish the insipid julia roberts would take some times). this is darker than average and raises questions about the nature of evil and guilt. while it isn't exactly suspenseful, it does manage to retain your interest for most of its running time. the cast are terrific - ryan gosling is a particular stand-out. bullock is good but she's saddled with a muddled character who's motivation doesn't ring true.
the ending is weak too - going against the thoughtful approach adopted throughout the film and relying on an action set-piece that isn't worked for.
i liked this film though and i would watch it again. it tries a little harder to be different and intelligent and for this it deserves praise.
the ending is weak too - going against the thoughtful approach adopted throughout the film and relying on an action set-piece that isn't worked for.
i liked this film though and i would watch it again. it tries a little harder to be different and intelligent and for this it deserves praise.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
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 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 very 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.
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 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 very 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.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Murder By Numbers is an entertaining thriller, it isn't particularly great but it if you want a crime movie that has little action but a lot of thought then this is a good choice, but sometimes the viewer does feel that it tries too hard.
Ryan Gosling & Michael Pitt are both very promising as the two murderous teens. Like other reviewers I agree whole heartedly that the film could have been a whole lot better. It definitely isn't groundbreaking!
The ending was particularly disappointing, very unplausable & surreal.
In conclusion a decent film, I wouldn't go as low to say its merely watchable, its good but not good enough for me to recommend anyone to invest in it, wait util it comes on t.v (it is shown on t.v quiet often actually) & watch it then.
Ryan Gosling & Michael Pitt are both very promising as the two murderous teens. Like other reviewers I agree whole heartedly that the film could have been a whole lot better. It definitely isn't groundbreaking!
The ending was particularly disappointing, very unplausable & surreal.
In conclusion a decent film, I wouldn't go as low to say its merely watchable, its good but not good enough for me to recommend anyone to invest in it, wait util it comes on t.v (it is shown on t.v quiet often actually) & watch it then.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Entertaining Run of the Mill Thriller
Cassie Mayweather (Sandra Bullock) is a homicide detective with a disturbing past, she and her partner Sam Kennedy (Ben Chaplin) are called in to investigate the murder of a young... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Lord Anon
I nearly got lost in this simpleton's film
Too complicated and too simplistic at the same time. Two high school students decide to prove a theory that is as empty as any king of teenage intellectual onanism. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Jacques COULARDEAU
all good
Arrived on time in good condition no problems.
good film too, although I've already seen it of course. Read more
good film too, although I've already seen it of course. Read more
Published 17 months ago by M. C. Fortune-wood
The danger of unsupervised teenagers
If you have a teenager, especially if it's a boy, maybe you should take a moment and check to see what the little hooligan is up to. Read more
Published on 11 Mar 2006 by Joseph Haschka
Very much watchable
Great film. No boring bits. Clever and has twists.
why 4 stars not 5? Just cos I'm super picky. Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2006 by Rachy
Murder by Numbers
"Murder by Numbers" is a killer thriller that takes the twist that there are people out there who would be happy to kill simply for kicks and to see if they could get away with... Read more
Published on 4 Aug 2005 by Rich Milligan
A fine film
It's hard what to say about this film. It is good to watch, although you would not watch it over and over again. It's interesting and the performances are pretty good. Read more
Published on 8 Dec 2003 by "purple-dream"
The danger of unsupervised teenagers
If you have a teenager, especially if it's a boy, maybe you should take a moment and check to see what the little hooligan is up to. Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2003 by Joseph Haschka
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