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All rights reserved.Murder by Numbers (2002, DVD)
Barbet Schroeder s Murder By Numbers (2002)Review created: 12/28/02
by: artbyjude -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
Gosling, Bullock, Caplin and Pitt in that order. Cinematography. Editing. Direction.
Gosling, Bullock, Caplin and Pitt in that order. Cinematography. Editing. Direction.
Cons:
Numbers? What numbers? Lags occasionally.
Numbers? What numbers? Lags occasionally.
This is an engrossing thriller that thrills through exceptional performances and painstaking revelation. The pace is sometimes excruciatingly slow, but it is extremely well constructed and edited-so the slow parts will require your complete attention There is no filler in this movie. Every shot counts. If there is a fault it is that if you look the other way, you may miss something important.
THEMES
There are parallel themes for this movie, which are not related to each other except through the distorted perspective of the lead detective in this story. The connection is an important one, because it helps to reveal the murderer, although it is a suspicion tainted by her emotional mind set. . The primary theme is cemetery around two boys, with a strange outlook on life. The ( at first) less obvious sub theme , is an issue with detective Cassie Mayweather.
HIGH SCHOOL MURDERERS
This is a current topic with meaning below and above the surface. The situation is disturbingly real, and at least partly based on a true story of two teenagers who were convicted of murder. Our two guys never themselves express a motive for their murder, except for a quasi philosophical belief that to be free you have to commit a crime-.specifically Murder.. The on- paper justification was worked out by the intellectual of the two person group.
The fact that the boys meet in a secluded place, and show ritualistic behaviors is suggestive of cult activity although this is only a two person deal, a pact between the two boys.
Barring cult activity, there are several reasons these boys might chose to defy civilization and start killing according to their plan. One often observed reason was to confuse the cops, by planting evidence leading them to the wrong guy. They wanted to get away with it to be sure, but they fed off watching the police confused and defeated. They fed off the attention this was bringing, and continued sparring with detectives . They believed they had committed the perfect crime, and that the police were too dumb to catch them.
Bullock toward the end of the movie encapsulates the bigger reason for the break with humanity, saying these children had grown up with plenty, but that they were as a group being ignored They were bored and unchallenged at school,, and they were looking for something to give meaning to their lives. They didn t like the rules, so they ignored them and made up their own. It was kind of a game at first.. The emphasis should be on the parental responsibility here. Parents are invisible in this film, as they are often in our culture.
Our nation gropes in the dark to understand how these young men (or any of the high school kids in the news in the last few years) could so callously and heartlessly kill people. Perhaps desensitization is the key. Murder and violence is so common in the media that it is barely even noticed any more. These young men cast shadows into every corner of our current world and should cause us to check on our children wherever they are, now!
.
WHEN ABUSE GOES TOO FAR...(Slight Spoiler alert)
This second issue is a problem deep in our chief detective s past. She sees echoes of her own experience with an abusive partner, and it is a severely limiting problem. Without discussing this overtly, this film shows how damaging such a thing can be, and how pervasive in every aspect of life, from poor self image to a fear of intimacy. This past event is revealed in stages early in the movie, although the fine details will be discussed near the climax.
FILM ELEMENTS
DIRECTION
Barbet Schroeder is internationally known, for many movies I have never seen, more s the pity.
His American films, however, have been pretty interesting. Reversal of Fortune (1990) won Jeremy Irons an Oscar. Single White Female (1992) a thriller ,was a movie I watched many times. When I saw it the first time, I was under the impression that Bridget Fonda could actually act. I have come to my senses, and I realize it must have been the director who created that illusion. Desperate Measures (1998) was another riveting film, with Michael Keaton as the bad guy, that I won t forget anytime soon. Barbet s strength is to create tension in the relationships the characters form on screen. And in Murder by Number, he does it extremely well.
Focus if you will on Cassie s developing antagonistic relationship with the character of Richard Haywood. Quite frankly, he brought a depth to Bullock s performance that was totally unexpected and impressive. Haywood s character is a villain that has a very charming side, and Gosling does it superbly. In the commentary with Schroeder and the editor Lee Percy, he even describes how this is accomplished, with space and camera angles, images that frame the characters, camera movements, double shots, and closing in with the camera as these two interact, reducing the physical space surrounding them. Schroeder s quiet intelligent contribution makes the commentary well worth listening to.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The photography in this film was brilliant . The very first scene is a breathtaking long take as we come into the beach past some rocks with waves crashing and spewing spray, to a cliff, and an abandoned house on the edge of the cliff.. We get closer to the window and finally close enough to peek in. And we see two young men facing each other, guns in their hands. It was an amazing set up for the movie, with the rocks and water denoting the turbulence that will follow, the abandoned stone house symbolic for the empty lives of the two boys. But it is not without hope, as the setting sun casts a glow over all the water and the sand.
The cameras in most of the movie are moving constantly, a fluid sort of tracking of each character. Consecrations are filmed with two cameras simultaneously, The increasing tension and the interaction segments are enhanced by the camera s distance from the group, and increased when the camera moves in. Natural light is used a lot in this movie, and fortunately, it helped, rather than hurt the images. The colors are fairly muted, but unlike most dark: mysteries, this one is well lit.
MUSIC/EDITING
The score was done by Clint Mansell, who scored Requiem for a Dream and PI, to name a few.. The atonal music helps build tension, and the rock music is right on the money. Well done.
I am including the editing with the Music, because it is as the film is edited that most scores are composed. This movie is a masterpiece of good editing. There is not a single wasted scene.
Lee Percy gets the credit for that, and has been with Schroeder on all his American films to date. Without editing, no movie is worth watching.
THE STORY
This is an unusually in depth look at the anatomy of a crime scene, which is what will maintain your superficial interest. But the really engrossing part of this flick is centered somewhere else. And when you think about it, how many movies with teenagers ever reflect the degree of character (or lack of it) development as this movie? Not very many. These kids are not funny, not up to crazy teenage hijinks, and they are deadly, cool, and to start with dissociated from the rest of the world, connected in reality to only each other. There is no overtly homosexual sub theme, but the hugs are not just buddy to buddy. There is tenderness involved.
The problem with the lady detective, I had figured out pretty much in the first few minutes. However, what I liked about this character was her potential for growth. Schroeder brings her to the edge several times, before finally letting her openly emote. The real constant in this movie, the one whose point of view most represents our own, is Cassie s partner Sam. Writing credits go to Tony Gayton.
THE PLOT
Justin and Richard are in class (High school, seniors) . Justin is reading his argument on ethics and morality, in front of the class. Haywood is taunting him. These kids seem to detest each other.
Cassie and new partner Sam have just gotten to a crime scene. The victim is a young woman, dumped by the road. The partners are getting to know each other, Cassie has a reputation as a ball-buster.(The Hyena) Let the investigating begin!
The movie will now go back and forward in time, revealing the secrets of the murder. We, as the audience, have already guessed who offed the girl. But we will see in detail exactly how it was done.
Sam and Cassie land in bed, but Cassie wants only the physical aspect of a relationship and pushes Sam out of the bed literally. This prompted Granniemose to say... Did you see that, she booted him out of bed!
There is a reason that Cassie fears intimacy, and you will have to find out what that is, and discover the connection between Cassie and the Haywood boy-or at least see what she sees in him.
Meanwhile at work, the department thinks the crime is solved as they follow the planted clues to exactly where the murderers want them to go. Cassie doesn t believe the case is solved, and gets booted off the case, when she starts identifying with the victim, and obsessing about two high school boys.
But does that make our Cassie quit?( And who was Carl Hudson?) Only one of a possible three actually killed the first victim. Want to know who that was? Well you need to watch this movie! There will be a few unexpected directions by the end,
THE CAST
Sandra Bullock as Cassie Mayweather, detective, homicide. Smart, savvy, tough as an old boot, this is a different side of Sandra Bullock, the girl whose smile has warmed the hearts of millions (or my ex husband's anyway) Sandy is 38 this year, and if she is going to win an Oscar, it had better be soon .(not really) This is one of those not type caste roles that proves ger ability. I found her performance, particularly in her relationship tp Richard Haywood to be fascinating and credible. She denies it but there is an attraction that is unmistakable. And the moments in which she almost breaks down to being human show every bit of her yearning to be different. Maybe not quite Oscar material yet, but is definitely heading in the right direction.
Ben Chaplin- as Sam Kennedy, Cassie s new partner. There is a nice touch of role reversal being done with this character, some healthy rivalry, and some real sensitivity to this part, It is Sam who finally gets past Cassie s defenses. You may remember him in The Truth about Cats and Dogs. He is six years younger than the leading lady.
Ryan Gosling as Richard Haywood-If I had one award to give for this movie it would go to this brilliantly played character. This kid was 21 when this was filmed, and every once in a while he looks it. He came into show biz as a Mouse Club Member in 1993. You may recognize him as the congenial white kid in Remember the Titans.
The character here is ambiguous enough for you to wonder whether he is the leader or the follower, but develops as the forceful dominant member of the two boys, the extrovert opposed to the introvert.. Yet he is charming, and funny at times, and likable as well. But deadly. There is a brilliantly played crack in his armor when he pulls a duty and the victim is his friend.
Michael Pitt as Justin Pendelton. This is a flat performance, and an excellent one, for the most nihilistic dude un high school, as well as the brightest. (Until romance enters his life) Flat is what this character needed to be, for most of the movie, but there is another side that develops with the plot. Excellent, disturbing performance, although I could not really get into his character, even when he changed for the better. Or did he? Is this the guy that arrived in show biz with 2 cents and ball of lint? First appeared in TV series Dawson Creek, and last seen in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I liked his role better in that one, but that is just me.
Agnes Bruckner as Lisa Mills. Mills is to these boys what Sam is to Cassie. She is the chance for Justin to reconnect to the world of living breathing human beings. This girl really was only 16 when this movie was shot, and she has got to have a bright future. She too was excellent.
Chris Penn -as Ray, the hapless janitor /drug dealer. The guy is overweight, likes bondage films and sells drugs to high school kids. I don t t understand why he was likable, but he was. How does he do that? This was a small part, but it is proof that the casting for this film was done carefully. Even the bit players are outstanding performers,.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
This movie has nearly perfect construction and all the elements in place. But it is missing some burst of energy that would put it into that unforgettable category-you know the kind of movie you call your brother long distance to see as soon as possible. Still, I thought the movie was interesting and disturbing viewing, especially later when all the subtle implications begin to penetrate. It grows on you.
THEMES
There are parallel themes for this movie, which are not related to each other except through the distorted perspective of the lead detective in this story. The connection is an important one, because it helps to reveal the murderer, although it is a suspicion tainted by her emotional mind set. . The primary theme is cemetery around two boys, with a strange outlook on life. The ( at first) less obvious sub theme , is an issue with detective Cassie Mayweather.
HIGH SCHOOL MURDERERS
This is a current topic with meaning below and above the surface. The situation is disturbingly real, and at least partly based on a true story of two teenagers who were convicted of murder. Our two guys never themselves express a motive for their murder, except for a quasi philosophical belief that to be free you have to commit a crime-.specifically Murder.. The on- paper justification was worked out by the intellectual of the two person group.
The fact that the boys meet in a secluded place, and show ritualistic behaviors is suggestive of cult activity although this is only a two person deal, a pact between the two boys.
Barring cult activity, there are several reasons these boys might chose to defy civilization and start killing according to their plan. One often observed reason was to confuse the cops, by planting evidence leading them to the wrong guy. They wanted to get away with it to be sure, but they fed off watching the police confused and defeated. They fed off the attention this was bringing, and continued sparring with detectives . They believed they had committed the perfect crime, and that the police were too dumb to catch them.
Bullock toward the end of the movie encapsulates the bigger reason for the break with humanity, saying these children had grown up with plenty, but that they were as a group being ignored They were bored and unchallenged at school,, and they were looking for something to give meaning to their lives. They didn t like the rules, so they ignored them and made up their own. It was kind of a game at first.. The emphasis should be on the parental responsibility here. Parents are invisible in this film, as they are often in our culture.
Our nation gropes in the dark to understand how these young men (or any of the high school kids in the news in the last few years) could so callously and heartlessly kill people. Perhaps desensitization is the key. Murder and violence is so common in the media that it is barely even noticed any more. These young men cast shadows into every corner of our current world and should cause us to check on our children wherever they are, now!
.
WHEN ABUSE GOES TOO FAR...(Slight Spoiler alert)
This second issue is a problem deep in our chief detective s past. She sees echoes of her own experience with an abusive partner, and it is a severely limiting problem. Without discussing this overtly, this film shows how damaging such a thing can be, and how pervasive in every aspect of life, from poor self image to a fear of intimacy. This past event is revealed in stages early in the movie, although the fine details will be discussed near the climax.
FILM ELEMENTS
DIRECTION
Barbet Schroeder is internationally known, for many movies I have never seen, more s the pity.
His American films, however, have been pretty interesting. Reversal of Fortune (1990) won Jeremy Irons an Oscar. Single White Female (1992) a thriller ,was a movie I watched many times. When I saw it the first time, I was under the impression that Bridget Fonda could actually act. I have come to my senses, and I realize it must have been the director who created that illusion. Desperate Measures (1998) was another riveting film, with Michael Keaton as the bad guy, that I won t forget anytime soon. Barbet s strength is to create tension in the relationships the characters form on screen. And in Murder by Number, he does it extremely well.
Focus if you will on Cassie s developing antagonistic relationship with the character of Richard Haywood. Quite frankly, he brought a depth to Bullock s performance that was totally unexpected and impressive. Haywood s character is a villain that has a very charming side, and Gosling does it superbly. In the commentary with Schroeder and the editor Lee Percy, he even describes how this is accomplished, with space and camera angles, images that frame the characters, camera movements, double shots, and closing in with the camera as these two interact, reducing the physical space surrounding them. Schroeder s quiet intelligent contribution makes the commentary well worth listening to.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The photography in this film was brilliant . The very first scene is a breathtaking long take as we come into the beach past some rocks with waves crashing and spewing spray, to a cliff, and an abandoned house on the edge of the cliff.. We get closer to the window and finally close enough to peek in. And we see two young men facing each other, guns in their hands. It was an amazing set up for the movie, with the rocks and water denoting the turbulence that will follow, the abandoned stone house symbolic for the empty lives of the two boys. But it is not without hope, as the setting sun casts a glow over all the water and the sand.
The cameras in most of the movie are moving constantly, a fluid sort of tracking of each character. Consecrations are filmed with two cameras simultaneously, The increasing tension and the interaction segments are enhanced by the camera s distance from the group, and increased when the camera moves in. Natural light is used a lot in this movie, and fortunately, it helped, rather than hurt the images. The colors are fairly muted, but unlike most dark: mysteries, this one is well lit.
MUSIC/EDITING
The score was done by Clint Mansell, who scored Requiem for a Dream and PI, to name a few.. The atonal music helps build tension, and the rock music is right on the money. Well done.
I am including the editing with the Music, because it is as the film is edited that most scores are composed. This movie is a masterpiece of good editing. There is not a single wasted scene.
Lee Percy gets the credit for that, and has been with Schroeder on all his American films to date. Without editing, no movie is worth watching.
THE STORY
This is an unusually in depth look at the anatomy of a crime scene, which is what will maintain your superficial interest. But the really engrossing part of this flick is centered somewhere else. And when you think about it, how many movies with teenagers ever reflect the degree of character (or lack of it) development as this movie? Not very many. These kids are not funny, not up to crazy teenage hijinks, and they are deadly, cool, and to start with dissociated from the rest of the world, connected in reality to only each other. There is no overtly homosexual sub theme, but the hugs are not just buddy to buddy. There is tenderness involved.
The problem with the lady detective, I had figured out pretty much in the first few minutes. However, what I liked about this character was her potential for growth. Schroeder brings her to the edge several times, before finally letting her openly emote. The real constant in this movie, the one whose point of view most represents our own, is Cassie s partner Sam. Writing credits go to Tony Gayton.
THE PLOT
Justin and Richard are in class (High school, seniors) . Justin is reading his argument on ethics and morality, in front of the class. Haywood is taunting him. These kids seem to detest each other.
Cassie and new partner Sam have just gotten to a crime scene. The victim is a young woman, dumped by the road. The partners are getting to know each other, Cassie has a reputation as a ball-buster.(The Hyena) Let the investigating begin!
The movie will now go back and forward in time, revealing the secrets of the murder. We, as the audience, have already guessed who offed the girl. But we will see in detail exactly how it was done.
Sam and Cassie land in bed, but Cassie wants only the physical aspect of a relationship and pushes Sam out of the bed literally. This prompted Granniemose to say... Did you see that, she booted him out of bed!
There is a reason that Cassie fears intimacy, and you will have to find out what that is, and discover the connection between Cassie and the Haywood boy-or at least see what she sees in him.
Meanwhile at work, the department thinks the crime is solved as they follow the planted clues to exactly where the murderers want them to go. Cassie doesn t believe the case is solved, and gets booted off the case, when she starts identifying with the victim, and obsessing about two high school boys.
But does that make our Cassie quit?( And who was Carl Hudson?) Only one of a possible three actually killed the first victim. Want to know who that was? Well you need to watch this movie! There will be a few unexpected directions by the end,
THE CAST
Sandra Bullock as Cassie Mayweather, detective, homicide. Smart, savvy, tough as an old boot, this is a different side of Sandra Bullock, the girl whose smile has warmed the hearts of millions (or my ex husband's anyway) Sandy is 38 this year, and if she is going to win an Oscar, it had better be soon .(not really) This is one of those not type caste roles that proves ger ability. I found her performance, particularly in her relationship tp Richard Haywood to be fascinating and credible. She denies it but there is an attraction that is unmistakable. And the moments in which she almost breaks down to being human show every bit of her yearning to be different. Maybe not quite Oscar material yet, but is definitely heading in the right direction.
Ben Chaplin- as Sam Kennedy, Cassie s new partner. There is a nice touch of role reversal being done with this character, some healthy rivalry, and some real sensitivity to this part, It is Sam who finally gets past Cassie s defenses. You may remember him in The Truth about Cats and Dogs. He is six years younger than the leading lady.
Ryan Gosling as Richard Haywood-If I had one award to give for this movie it would go to this brilliantly played character. This kid was 21 when this was filmed, and every once in a while he looks it. He came into show biz as a Mouse Club Member in 1993. You may recognize him as the congenial white kid in Remember the Titans.
The character here is ambiguous enough for you to wonder whether he is the leader or the follower, but develops as the forceful dominant member of the two boys, the extrovert opposed to the introvert.. Yet he is charming, and funny at times, and likable as well. But deadly. There is a brilliantly played crack in his armor when he pulls a duty and the victim is his friend.
Michael Pitt as Justin Pendelton. This is a flat performance, and an excellent one, for the most nihilistic dude un high school, as well as the brightest. (Until romance enters his life) Flat is what this character needed to be, for most of the movie, but there is another side that develops with the plot. Excellent, disturbing performance, although I could not really get into his character, even when he changed for the better. Or did he? Is this the guy that arrived in show biz with 2 cents and ball of lint? First appeared in TV series Dawson Creek, and last seen in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I liked his role better in that one, but that is just me.
Agnes Bruckner as Lisa Mills. Mills is to these boys what Sam is to Cassie. She is the chance for Justin to reconnect to the world of living breathing human beings. This girl really was only 16 when this movie was shot, and she has got to have a bright future. She too was excellent.
Chris Penn -as Ray, the hapless janitor /drug dealer. The guy is overweight, likes bondage films and sells drugs to high school kids. I don t t understand why he was likable, but he was. How does he do that? This was a small part, but it is proof that the casting for this film was done carefully. Even the bit players are outstanding performers,.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
This movie has nearly perfect construction and all the elements in place. But it is missing some burst of energy that would put it into that unforgettable category-you know the kind of movie you call your brother long distance to see as soon as possible. Still, I thought the movie was interesting and disturbing viewing, especially later when all the subtle implications begin to penetrate. It grows on you.
Review ID: 10000000000561779
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