What an intelligent thriller. Murder by Numbers (or Murder 8y Num8ers) works on so many levels. With the school killings and all in the recent years, this tale of two college kids trying murder out for size is actually not that far fetched. The fact that these fellows are carefully planning their crime is in my opinion no different from just walking into a school and opening fire. But the murdering scheme is not the only thing this film has going for it.
There are also the homosexual references between the main characters Haywood and Pendleton (Gosling and Pitt). Now that takes some balls in a big Hollywood thriller like this. The carefully thought human emotions in Murder by Numbers are elevated even further by the jaw dropping and simply outstanding performances by Gosling and Pitt. Where as Bullock's character may seem fresh on the surface, but scratch it a little and the clichés reveal themselves.
I really recommend this movie. Sure, it may not be A Clockwork Orange, but especially for a Sandra Bullock movie, this is refreshing and thoughtful. And again, no thanks to the "leading star".
**** / *****
There are also the homosexual references between the main characters Haywood and Pendleton (Gosling and Pitt). Now that takes some balls in a big Hollywood thriller like this. The carefully thought human emotions in Murder by Numbers are elevated even further by the jaw dropping and simply outstanding performances by Gosling and Pitt. Where as Bullock's character may seem fresh on the surface, but scratch it a little and the clichés reveal themselves.
I really recommend this movie. Sure, it may not be A Clockwork Orange, but especially for a Sandra Bullock movie, this is refreshing and thoughtful. And again, no thanks to the "leading star".
**** / *****