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The Number 23
- 169 statements
- 32 feature instances
- 15 referencing feature instances
The Number 23 | type |
TVTItem | |
The Number 23 | label |
The Number 23 | |
The Number 23 | page |
TheNumber23 | |
The Number 23 | comment |
The Number 23 is a 2007 American psychological thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher, starring Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Danny Huston and Logan Lerman.The plot revolves around Walter Sparrow (Carrey) and his obsession with the "23 enigma", an esoteric belief that all incidents and events are directly connected to the number 23, some permutation of the number 23, or a number related to 23.This is the second film to pair Schumacher and Carrey, the first being Batman Forever. This is also Carrey's first suspense thriller, and while it was derided by critics for being confusing and unengaging, it was a box office hit. | |
The Number 23 | fetched |
2024-03-02T10:15:36Z | |
The Number 23 | parsed |
2024-03-02T10:15:36Z | |
The Number 23 | processingComment |
Dropped link to Sybil: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
The Number 23 | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
The Number 23 / int_28bbbe24 | type |
Hereditary Curse | |
The Number 23 / int_28bbbe24 | comment |
Hereditary Curse: Walter's own parents both died when he was young, with his father committing suicide rather than face his problems (possibly due to the influence of the number 23). Walter seems fated to do the same at the end, attempting to take his own life by walking into traffic. However, he stops himself when he sees his son watching him, breaking the curse. | |
The Number 23 / int_28bbbe24 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_28bbbe24 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_28bbbe24 | |
The Number 23 / int_2969dda7 | type |
Nightmare Fetishist | |
The Number 23 / int_2969dda7 | comment |
Nightmare Fetishist: Both Laura Tollins and the fictional Fabrizia have a fetish for violence and like to roleplay with knives in the bedroom. Fabrizia even has Fingerling take her to an apartment where a woman killed herself so they can have sex. | |
The Number 23 / int_2969dda7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_2969dda7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_2969dda7 | |
The Number 23 / int_2f329e3c | type |
Tomato in the Mirror | |
The Number 23 / int_2f329e3c | comment |
Tomato in the Mirror: Walter Sparrow is Topsy Kretts. | |
The Number 23 / int_2f329e3c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_2f329e3c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_2f329e3c | |
The Number 23 / int_2f75473 | type |
Number of the Beast | |
The Number 23 / int_2f75473 | comment |
Number of the Beast: Issac French explains that the number 23 is considered evil because 2 divided by 3 results in .666...6666 etc. (which would actually be shortened to .667, if we're going to three decimal places). | |
The Number 23 / int_2f75473 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_2f75473 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_2f75473 | |
The Number 23 / int_2fd62e54 | type |
The Killer in Me | |
The Number 23 / int_2fd62e54 | comment |
The Killer in Me: The murderer of Laura Tollins, who wrote a fictionalized account of his crime in "The Number 23", turns out to be Walter himself. | |
The Number 23 / int_2fd62e54 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_2fd62e54 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_2fd62e54 | |
The Number 23 / int_40cc0c7e | type |
Bittersweet Ending | |
The Number 23 / int_40cc0c7e | comment |
Bittersweet Ending: Sure, the murder mystery was solved, and the man wrongfully imprisoned for it was set free. But Walter turns himself in to the police, and is awaiting sentencing for criminal homicide. | |
The Number 23 / int_40cc0c7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_40cc0c7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_40cc0c7e | |
The Number 23 / int_4e7c4536 | type |
Wham Line | |
The Number 23 / int_4e7c4536 | comment |
Wham Line: "You wrote [the book], Walter. You did." | |
The Number 23 / int_4e7c4536 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_4e7c4536 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_4e7c4536 | |
The Number 23 / int_5e032315 | type |
One-Book Author | |
The Number 23 / int_5e032315 | comment |
One-Book Author: Both in and out-of-universe: in-universe, Topsy Kretts/Walter has written only this book; out-of-universe, the movie's failure resulted in it being Fernley Phillips' only writing credit to date. | |
The Number 23 / int_5e032315 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_5e032315 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_5e032315 | |
The Number 23 / int_62434fe2 | type |
Sanity Slippage | |
The Number 23 / int_62434fe2 | comment |
Sanity Slippage: The number itself is implied to cause this, as "victims" become obsessed with the numerical patterns in their own lives and the world around them. | |
The Number 23 / int_62434fe2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_62434fe2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_62434fe2 | |
The Number 23 / int_634a2ff9 | type |
Sue Donym | |
The Number 23 / int_634a2ff9 | comment |
Sue Donym: The titular book is written by "Topsy Kretts". | |
The Number 23 / int_634a2ff9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_634a2ff9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_634a2ff9 | |
The Number 23 / int_6941e30b | type |
Room Full of Crazy | |
The Number 23 / int_6941e30b | comment |
Room Full of Crazy: The hotel room where Walter wrote the last chapter of the book—literally. It has a fictional counterpart in the Suicide Blonde's apartment, where she scrawled out all of her life's connections to the number 23. Also, Walter's old room at the mental hospital. | |
The Number 23 / int_6941e30b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_6941e30b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_6941e30b | |
The Number 23 / int_6b2b3b59 | type |
The Reveal | |
The Number 23 / int_6b2b3b59 | comment |
The Reveal: The author who wrote the book "The Number 23" is Walter himself. | |
The Number 23 / int_6b2b3b59 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_6b2b3b59 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_6b2b3b59 | |
The Number 23 / int_6bda9a30 | type |
Meaningful Name | |
The Number 23 / int_6bda9a30 | comment |
Meaningful Name: Several examples: Walter's name begins with the 23rd letter of the alphabet. The dispatcher who sends Walter on his last call (where he meets Ned for the first time) is named Sybil, after the oracles of Classical mythology. The name is also associated with a character who was famously mentally ill, had a Dark and Troubled Past, and suffered from bouts of amnesia — possibly foreshadowing a number of reveals about Walter himself (he has a dark past, was once mentally ill, and spent time in a mental hospital, but has lost nearly all memory of it). Ned, the black-and-white bulldog who watches over Laura Tollin's grave, was so-named because of his habit of "guarding" the dead.note (Ned is an Old English name meaning "Guardian" or "Protector".) Also, N=14+E=5+D=4=23. The hospital where Walter was rehabilitated after his suicide attempt, and granted a new lease on life, is the Nathaniel Institute, from the biblical name meaning "Gift of God". The doctor from the mental hospital who helped rehabilitate Walter (and later went mad himself) is named "Sirius Leary", which means "Dog, Beware" (or, when reversed, "Beware Dog") — an obvious reference to Ned, who both physically attacks Walter and directs him to his past crimes. Walter's wife is named Agatha, which means "Good". Despite a few false leads, she's ultimately the most morally upright character in the movie (and also convinces Walter of his own goodness). | |
The Number 23 / int_6bda9a30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_6bda9a30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_6bda9a30 | |
The Number 23 / int_6d332aea | type |
Driven to Suicide | |
The Number 23 / int_6d332aea | comment |
Driven to Suicide: The Suicide Blonde, Widow Dobkins, Walter's Father, and Walter himself on two separate occasions (one bungled, the other interrupted). | |
The Number 23 / int_6d332aea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_6d332aea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_6d332aea | |
The Number 23 / int_7374ab13 | type |
Once More, with Clarity | |
The Number 23 / int_7374ab13 | comment |
Once More, with Clarity: A good deal of the third act of the film is spent on replaying the events of Topsy Kretts' book as envisioned by Walter... except this time using Walter's real experiences pre-amnesia. The young Fingerling seeing Mrs. Dobkins' corpse in the bed and the subsequent suicide of her killer is repeated with the young Walter seeing his mother's corpse and the subsequent suicide of his father. Fingerling's entire relationship with Fabrizia, his jealousy over Dr. Miles Phoenix, and his killing Fabrizia and framing Phoenix for it is repeated with Walter's relationship with Laura Tollins, his jealousy over Kyle Flinch, and his killing Laura and framing Flinch for it. The Suicide Blonde ranting over the number 23 to Fingerling and her subsequent suicide by jumping from her room is repeated with Walter ranting over the number 23 to himself and his subsequent (failed) suicide by jumping from his room. | |
The Number 23 / int_7374ab13 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_7374ab13 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_7374ab13 | |
The Number 23 / int_79a60aec | type |
For Want of a Nail | |
The Number 23 / int_79a60aec | comment |
For Want Of A Nail: Walter laments this at the beginning of the film: if he hadn't agreed to take Agatha's cake to the holiday office party without her, the dispatcher Sybil wouldn't have drunkenly thrown herself at him; if he hadn't turned down Sybil's advances so harshly, she wouldn't have been angry at him the next day and sent him on another call just as his shift ended; if he hadn't been sent on that last call, he wouldn't have been bitten by Ned, and he wouldn't have been late to meet Agatha; if he hadn't been late to meet his wife, she wouldn't have had time to browse in the used bookstore...where she found a copy of The Number 23. | |
The Number 23 / int_79a60aec | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_79a60aec | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_79a60aec | |
The Number 23 / int_8404a0f3 | type |
Amnesiac Dissonance | |
The Number 23 / int_8404a0f3 | comment |
Amnesiac Dissonance: Learning about his dark past brings Walter close to committing suicide. | |
The Number 23 / int_8404a0f3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_8404a0f3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_8404a0f3 | |
The Number 23 / int_8ed5c6e4 | type |
Asshole Victim | |
The Number 23 / int_8ed5c6e4 | comment |
Asshole Victim: Laura Tollins was this, for driving Walter into a homicidal rage after claiming she never loved him and mocking his father's suicide. At least, if that's what really happened? | |
The Number 23 / int_8ed5c6e4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_8ed5c6e4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_8ed5c6e4 | |
The Number 23 / int_9203bf6 | type |
Arc Number | |
The Number 23 / int_9203bf6 | comment |
Arc Number: The number 23, obviously. | |
The Number 23 / int_9203bf6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_9203bf6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_9203bf6 | |
The Number 23 / int_9fbe86a9 | type |
Writing About Your Crime | |
The Number 23 / int_9fbe86a9 | comment |
Writing About Your Crime: "Topsy Kretts" is really Walter himself, and the suicide blonde actually represents a girl he murdered. | |
The Number 23 / int_9fbe86a9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_9fbe86a9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_9fbe86a9 | |
The Number 23 / int_a0c7f4e9 | type |
Abandoned Hospital | |
The Number 23 / int_a0c7f4e9 | comment |
Abandoned Hospital: The Nathaniel Institute. | |
The Number 23 / int_a0c7f4e9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_a0c7f4e9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_a0c7f4e9 | |
The Number 23 / int_bec0417c | type |
Happily Married | |
The Number 23 / int_bec0417c | comment |
Happily Married: Unlike Walter's own parents, Walter and his wife, Agatha, are very much in love with (and faithful to) each other. | |
The Number 23 / int_bec0417c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_bec0417c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_bec0417c | |
The Number 23 / int_ccffaa84 | type |
Kill Me Now, or Forever Stay Your Hand | |
The Number 23 / int_ccffaa84 | comment |
Kill Me Now, or Forever Stay Your Hand: Agatha does this to Walter when he is convinced he will kill her in his next paroxysm. | |
The Number 23 / int_ccffaa84 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_ccffaa84 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_ccffaa84 | |
The Number 23 / int_dbca2c99 | type |
Red Herring | |
The Number 23 / int_dbca2c99 | comment |
Red Herring: The film's third act has this in the form of a false Reveal before the actual reveal. Walter suspects that Agatha is the book's writer and the film then replays flashbacks that seem to point out to her. Of course, for the true reveal, see The Reveal below. | |
The Number 23 / int_dbca2c99 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_dbca2c99 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_dbca2c99 | |
The Number 23 / int_dcf83f95 | type |
Number Obsession | |
The Number 23 / int_dcf83f95 | comment |
Number Obsession: Walter Sparrow finds himself obsessed and fixated on the "23 enigma", a belief that all incidents and events are directly connected to the number 23, some permutation of the number 23, or a number related to 23. The in-universe explanation for the number's importance is that 2 divided by 3 is .666... i.e. the Number of the Beast. | |
The Number 23 / int_dcf83f95 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_dcf83f95 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_dcf83f95 | |
The Number 23 / int_dd608502 | type |
HellHound | |
The Number 23 / int_dd608502 | comment |
Hell Hound: Ned's a fairly ordinary dog, but he still fits the "guardian" flavor of this trope to a tee. | |
The Number 23 / int_dd608502 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_dd608502 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_dd608502 | |
The Number 23 / int_dde43ab | type |
Tattooed Crook | |
The Number 23 / int_dde43ab | comment |
Tattooed Crook: Fingerling. | |
The Number 23 / int_dde43ab | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_dde43ab | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_dde43ab | |
The Number 23 / int_df7b8f5 | type |
Sharpshooter Fallacy | |
The Number 23 / int_df7b8f5 | comment |
Sharpshooter Fallacy: The entire concept of everything adding up to the number 23 (and being so significant) runs on this, but is justified in that Walter is suffering from a terrible obsession, so logic and reason don't really enter the story for the sake of preserving the drama. The intro demonstrates this; all of the examples are clearly done by working backwards from what it takes to get them to 23, and they're all following completely different rules to get there. | |
The Number 23 / int_df7b8f5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_df7b8f5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_df7b8f5 | |
The Number 23 / int_e9269f72 | type |
It Was Here, I Swear! | |
The Number 23 / int_e9269f72 | comment |
It Was Here, I Swear!: The skull Walter digs up is gone by the time he returns with the police. | |
The Number 23 / int_e9269f72 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_e9269f72 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_e9269f72 | |
The Number 23 / int_ebb3c390 | type |
Crash-Into Hello | |
The Number 23 / int_ebb3c390 | comment |
Crash-Into Hello: Walter and Agatha first meet when he bumps into her in the street and she drops her cake. | |
The Number 23 / int_ebb3c390 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 / int_ebb3c390 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_ebb3c390 | |
The Number 23 / int_f516f938 | type |
Never Found the Body | |
The Number 23 / int_f516f938 | comment |
Never Found the Body: Laura Tollins. Subverted in the movie's final act. | |
The Number 23 / int_f516f938 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
The Number 23 / int_f516f938 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_f516f938 | |
The Number 23 / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
The Number 23 / int_name | comment |
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The Number 23 / int_name | featureApplicability |
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The Number 23 / int_name | featureConfidence |
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The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Number 23 / int_name | |
The Number 23 / int_name | itemName |
The Number 23 |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Apophenia Plot / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Crash-Into Hello / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
It Was Here, I Swear! / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Meaningful Release Date / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Meet Cute / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Number Obsession / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
"Number of Objects" Title / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Number of the Beast / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Onscreen Chapter Titles / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Referential Mania / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Sharpshooter Fallacy / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
The Killer in Me / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Title by Number / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
23 / int_47996b21 | |
The Number 23 | hasFeature |
Writing About Your Crime / int_47996b21 |
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Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.