Murder
by Numbers on DVD
If we had detectives like Cassie Mayweather in real life, we might actually
crack some cases for a change.
Such is the main flaw with movies like Murder by Numbers, a well-made
crime thriller starring Sandra Bullock. The idea is clever, the acting
is pretty good, and the direction is excellent. Unfortunately, the main
character is far too smart to be believable.
It’s the same problem as with films featuring detective Alex Cross
(Kiss the Girls, Along Came a Spider).
If the writer didn’t know what was going on, there would be no way
for the protagonist to figure out the clues from what's in front of them.
Perhaps real-life detectives could learn a thing or two from these geniuses...
Justin and Richard (Michael Pitt and Ryan Gosling) are two brilliant
high school students who are so bored with their classes that they come
up with a way to show the world just how smart they are. They may not
like each other, but they’re smart enough to think up the perfect
murder. They randomly select a victim, and then leave clues to lead the
police down the wrong path.
Enter Cassie Mayweather (Sandra Bullock), the city’s best detective,
a woman who seems to have a sixth sense for this kind of case. She figures
that things fit a little too perfectly, and somehow finds her way to the
real killers. There is a subplot about Cassie that helps to explain her
personality, but she still seems unrealistic. Even her name sounds as
if it were taken from a Hollywood character name list.
But apart from the lack of believability and its very slow pace, Murder
by Numbers is still fairly enjoyable. It’s a well-done thriller
with excellent performances by the good guys (particularly Ben Chaplin,
who does a tremendous job). Gosling and Pitt are well cast, but don’t
seem to have the talent to back up their looks.
Unlike many Sandra Bullock movies, Murder by Numbers failed to light
up the box office. Perhaps because of this, Warner has given it a merely
mediocre DVD. The picture (available in separate widescreen and Pan&Scan
versions), doesn’t look as good as it should; there’s a touch
of grain present throughout the entire film, and many of the scenes are
darker than necessary. In many cases this would add to the effect of the
movie itself, but in this case it didn’t seem to fit.
The audio is good enough, despite a lack of surround use. The 5.1 Dolby
Digital is pretty much confined to the front channels. Granted, Murder
by Numbers doesn’t offer ample opportunity for massive rear channel
usage, but certain sound effects, and especially the musical score, would
have worked nicely coming from behind.
The only extra, other than the usual trailer, is an audio commentary
by director Barbet Schroeder.
Murder by Numbers, from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
120 minutes, anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) 16X9 enhanced, 5.1 Dolby Digital
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Gosling, Michael Pitt, Chris Penn and Ben
Chaplin
Produced by Barbet Schroeder and Susan Hoffman
Written by Tony Gayton, Directed by Barbet Schroeder
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