After staring at the screen for two hours, the audience finally adjusted to the character and story. “The Number 23” shined a darker light on Jim Carrey’s acting ability.
For most, when Carrey’s name is mentioned, the comedic wit of Carrey’s past roles like “Dumb and Dumber” come to mind. That isn’t the case in his new film, which hit theatres on Feb. 23. The film placed Carrey in a different, yet still well-performed, role as the psychologically dark character, Walter Sparrow.
At first, there seemed to be moments where Carrey was resorting to his usual tendencies of crazy expressions and comedic tones. Those tones quickly vanished once the character began to take shape before the audience’s eyes. Later, the character became so real it was easy to forget it was Carrey.
This isn’t the first dramatic role he has tackled, but it’s for sure the most sinister. When Carrey did “The Truman Show,” there were still underlying comedic moments. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is the only basis for comparison in terms of dramatic intensity.
When director Joel Schumacher first got the script, he knew Carrey was right for the role.
From a production standpoint, the movie was well done. There were two stories playing simultaneously yet kept distinct enough to eliminate confusion.
Schumacher made some very bold and obvious choices with the film. The best example is how he shows a body hitting the ground after falling out of a window. Directors usually leave the actual moment of impact off the screen. However, Schumacher didn’t spare the audience this spectacle.
Other great elements were beautiful cinematography by Matthew Libatique. The creative dark-light design did a nice job of playing with high and low contrast.
This was a good flick. It had a creative and captivating storyline that kept the audience guessing. Nice directing, cinematography and lighting. As for Carrey, he did a nice job with his role and proved himself as a well-rounded actor.
Contact Campus Press staff writer Emilie Johnson at esjohnso@thecampuspress.com.
