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Murder by Numbers

Starring: Sandra Bullock
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Genre: Thriller
Year: 2002
Rating: 3 / 5

Murder by Numbers, although a fairly average thriller, certainly cannot be accused of being formulaic. Whereas most films of this ilk pique the viewer’s interest with a deepening mystery and surprising twists, Murder by Numbers takes the unusual tact of revealing its criminals from the outset. The mystery comes not in who did it, but how they did it. The film does not do much to convince us of the police department’s competence in a murder investigation, but it does manage to hold our attention. That, and it introduces us to two newcomers who can scheme as well as any “teens” this side of the Cruel Intentions cast.

Cassie Mayweather (Sandra Bullock) is – surprise, surprise – a detective with a past. She runs through partners and men with equal affinity, caring little if the lines of personal and professional lives should blur. She lives in a self-imposed shell, unwilling to acknowledge the events which shaped her current lot in life. When faced with the seemingly random murder of a local woman, Cassie is the only one who suspects that things are not what they seem. And as clues begin piling up and a clear suspect is thrust into the spotlight, her colleagues are all too quick to point a guilty finger. Only Cassie suspects that the crime has unfolded a bit too neatly, and that the true masterminds might still be on the loose.

Richard Haywood (Ryan Gosling) and Justin Pendleton (Michael Pitt) are two high school students who appear to have little in common. While both come from a background of wealth and privilege, Richard is more of a rebel, one of the school’s resident bad boys. Justin, on the other hand, is a quiet, shy bookworm, seemingly at odds with the more popular Richard. Together, however, they hatch a scheme to commit – and get away with – the perfect murder. Using Justin’s knowledge of forensics and Richard’s need to live on the edge, the two engage in a twisted game of cat and mouse with the police, specifically Cassie Mayweather. Will they outsmart her as they have everyone else, or can she bring them to justice?

Aside from the film’s rather unconventional approach, Murder by Numbers is little more than ordinary. There is nothing special about Sandra Bullock’s character, Cassie Mayweather, certainly not anything which would cause the viewer to be invested in her. Even less can be said about Ben Chaplin, who comes across as a wooden cutout inserted opposite Bullock’s gruff, world-weary cop. The film’s willingness to flaunt convention with the revelation of the crime’s perpetrators is both the film’s crowning achievement and its biggest detriment. Little suspense and a forced “mini-twist” at the film’s conclusion leave the viewer feeling ultimately unsatisfied. The plot may not have been exactly by the book, but Murder by Numbers still comes up a few notches short.

Cast:

Certification: Rated R for violence and language.
Running Time: 120 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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