Murder by Numbers
Encyclopedia
Murder by Numbers is a 2002
psychological thriller
film produced and directed by Barbet Schroeder
. It stars Sandra Bullock
, Ben Chaplin
, Ryan Gosling
and Michael Pitt
. It is loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb
case.
The film was screened out of competition at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival
.
The young men kill a woman and set up Richard's marijuana supplier, janitor Ray Feathers, as a psychotic serial killer. They then incinerate all evidence. The case is assigned to Detective Cassie Mayweather and her new partner, Sam Kennedy, who just transferred from the vice squad. They work together well, and begin a romantic relationship very early on in their partnership. Footprints found at the crime scene lead to Richard Haywood, who has an alibi. Cassie becomes seemingly obsessed with the idea that Richard is guilty, and refuses to pursue the case from other angles. This displeases Captain Rod Cody and Cassie's vindictive ex, Assistant D.A. Al Swanson, who becomes nervous due to the clout held by Richard's parents.
False forensic evidence planted on the body by Justin, including a baboon hair, lead police to the janitor, who keeps a baboon in his shed. The baboon attacks Cassie, causing her to be hospitalised. Meanwhile, Richard kills the janitor in a staged suicide. Sam and Cassie fall out over different professional attitudes towards the investigation, and Captain Cody bans her from pursuing the investigation further when she disobeys instructions.
Justin is interested in his classmate Lisa Mills, and ignores Richard in order to go on a date with her. Richard sees them kissing, becomes jealous, and shows Justin a tape of Lisa having sex with Richard. This enrages Justin, who destroys the composite photo, but regains control of his emotions and remains friends with Richard. Determined to prove that Richard and Justin in fact know each other and are guilty, Cassie secretly takes pictures of them together. However, Richard sees her, and attempts to frighten her by seducing her. To protect herself, Cassie hits Richard in the face. Richard's father contacts Captain Cody, who decides that Cassie must see a psychiatrist. However, Sam decides that Cassie may be right, and further investigates the case.
It is revealed that Cassie herself was the victim of attempted murder by a serial killer to whom she was married, and who had been her high school classmate. Various flashbacks show Cassie's ordeal. Although she was found alive, she has scars on her chest from her wounds. The murderer is in jail, and Cassie is trying to escape testifying at his upcoming parole hearing.
Sam and Cassie bring Richard and Justin in for interrogation. Using the Lisa Mills incident, they try to convince the young men to confess, bribing them with a lighter sentence. Although they know that both Richard and Justin were involved in the crime, they are unsure which of them actually killed the woman. The killer will be executed, while the accessory will serve a lighter sentence. However, neither one is willing to talk, and they are released.
When Richard attempts to save himself by making a false "confession" to the DA, Cassie and Sam decide to arrest both Richard and Justin immediately. The two flee to the resort, but Justin first visits Lisa and admits what he did. Lisa calls the police and tells them where to find Richard and Justin. Meanwhile, Richard gives Justin a pistol, and holds one himself, as they will both commit suicide. However, Justin discovers that Richard put bullets into Justin's pistol, but not into his own. Cassie arrives, and tries to arrest them. Justin surrenders, but Richard shoots Justin in the shoulder and flees upstairs.
Cassie pursues Richard, who tricks her into going out onto an unstable balcony. Richard strangles Cassie, but she fights back and pushes him over the railing, and he falls to his death. But, before Cassie can get back inside, the porch breaks. Justin saves her, and she tells him that he will likely get a light sentence.
When Cassie examines the strangulation marks on her neck, she realises that the marks on the dead woman's neck were not made by Richard. Instead of Justin being manipulated by Richard, as she had previously thought, Richard was being manipulated by Justin, who was the actual killer. Cassie and Sam trick him into confessing. Now at peace with her past, Cassie agrees to testify at the parole hearing. However, it is revealed that Cassie's real name is Jessica Marie Hudson.
and Canada
and grossed $9.3 million in 2,663 theaters its opening weekend, ranking #3 at the box office. The film grossed a total of $56,714,147 worldwide — $31,945,749 in the United States and Canada and $24,768,398 in other territories.
awarded a 31% "Rotten" based on 125 reviews, thiry-nine being "fresh" and eighty-six being "rotten" with a consensus stating "A predictable police procedural that works better as a character study rather than a thriller."
Roger Ebert
awarded three stars out of a possible four with his own consensus stating "Bullock does a good job here of working against her natural likability, creating a character you'd like to like, and could like, if she weren't so sad, strange and turned in upon herself. She throws herself into police work not so much because she's dedicated as because she needs the distraction, needs to keep busy and be good to assure herself of her worth. As she draws the net closer, and runs into more danger and more official opposition, the movie more or less helplessly starts thinking to itself about that cliff above the sea, but at least the climax shows us that Bullock can stay in character no matter what."
2002 in film
The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
psychological thriller
Psychological thriller
Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the broad ranged thriller with heavy focus on characters. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre, along with the typical traits of the thriller genre...
film produced and directed by Barbet Schroeder
Barbet Schroeder
Barbet Schroeder is a Franco-Swiss movie director and producer who started his career in French cinema in the 1960s, working together with directors such as Jean-Luc Godard and Jacques Rivette.-Life and career:...
. It stars Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
, Ben Chaplin
Ben Chaplin
Ben Chaplin , is an English actor.-Early life:Chaplin, the youngest of four children, was born in London, the son of Cynthia , a drama teacher, and Peter Greenwood, an engineer. He took his stage name after his mother's maiden name. He was raised in Windsor, Berkshire, England and attended Hurtwood...
, Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling
Ryan Thomas Gosling is a Canadian actor and musician. He first came to public attention as a child star on the Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club and went on to appear in other family entertainment programmes including Are You Afraid of the Dark? , Goosebumps , Breaker High and Young Hercules...
and Michael Pitt
Michael Pitt
Michael Carmen Pitt is an American actor and musician. Pitt is best known in film for his role in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, and in television for his portrayal of James "Jimmy" Darmody in the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire.-Personal life:Pitt was born in West Orange, New Jersey, the...
. It is loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb
Leopold and Loeb
Nathan Freudenthal Leopold, Jr. and Richard Albert Loeb , more commonly known as "Leopold and Loeb", were two wealthy University of Michigan alumni and University of Chicago students who murdered 14-year-old Robert "Bobby" Franks in 1924 and were sentenced to life imprisonment.The duo were...
case.
The film was screened out of competition at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival
2002 Cannes Film Festival
The 2002 Cannes Film Festival started on 15 May and ran until 26 May. The Palme d'Or went to the Polish-French-German-British co-produced film The Pianist directed by Roman Polanski.-Jury:* David Lynch * Sharon Stone* Michelle Yeoh...
.
Cast
- Sandra BullockSandra BullockSandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
as Det. Cassie Mayweather - Ben ChaplinBen ChaplinBen Chaplin , is an English actor.-Early life:Chaplin, the youngest of four children, was born in London, the son of Cynthia , a drama teacher, and Peter Greenwood, an engineer. He took his stage name after his mother's maiden name. He was raised in Windsor, Berkshire, England and attended Hurtwood...
as Det. Sam Kennedy - Ryan GoslingRyan GoslingRyan Thomas Gosling is a Canadian actor and musician. He first came to public attention as a child star on the Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club and went on to appear in other family entertainment programmes including Are You Afraid of the Dark? , Goosebumps , Breaker High and Young Hercules...
as Richard Haywood - Michael PittMichael PittMichael Carmen Pitt is an American actor and musician. Pitt is best known in film for his role in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, and in television for his portrayal of James "Jimmy" Darmody in the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire.-Personal life:Pitt was born in West Orange, New Jersey, the...
as Justin Pendleton - Agnes BrucknerAgnes BrucknerAgnes Bruckner is an American actress. She began acting on television in the late 1990s and has since appeared in seven films, including The Woods, Blue Car, and Murder By Numbers.-Early life:...
as Lisa Mills - Chris PennChris PennChristopher Shannon "Chris" Penn was an American film and television actor known for his roles in such films as The Wild Life, Reservoir Dogs, Footloose, Rush Hour, True Romance, All the Right Moves and Pale Rider.-Early life:Penn was born in Los Angeles, California, the youngest son of Leo Penn,...
as Ray Feathers - R. D. CallR. D. CallR. D. Call is an American film and television actor.-Biography:R. D. Call was raised in Utah. He began his acting career in college while attending Utah State University and Weber State University....
as Capt. Rod Cody - Tom VericaTom VericaTom Verica is an American actor and director, known for his role of Jack Pryor on the NBC drama American Dreams. He played Astronaut Dick Gordon in the HBO miniseries From The Earth To The Moon...
as A.D.A. Al Swanson
Plot
Richard Haywood, a wealthy and popular high-schooler, secretly teams up with another rich kid in his class, brilliant nerd Justin 'Bonaparte' Pendleton. His erudition, especially in forensic matters, allows them to plan elaborately perfect murders as a perverse form of entertainment. Meeting in a deserted resort, they drink absinthe, smoke, and joke around, but pretend to have an adversarial relationship while at school. Justin in particular behaves strangely, writing a paper about how crime is freedom and vice versa, and creating a composite photograph of himself and Richard.The young men kill a woman and set up Richard's marijuana supplier, janitor Ray Feathers, as a psychotic serial killer. They then incinerate all evidence. The case is assigned to Detective Cassie Mayweather and her new partner, Sam Kennedy, who just transferred from the vice squad. They work together well, and begin a romantic relationship very early on in their partnership. Footprints found at the crime scene lead to Richard Haywood, who has an alibi. Cassie becomes seemingly obsessed with the idea that Richard is guilty, and refuses to pursue the case from other angles. This displeases Captain Rod Cody and Cassie's vindictive ex, Assistant D.A. Al Swanson, who becomes nervous due to the clout held by Richard's parents.
False forensic evidence planted on the body by Justin, including a baboon hair, lead police to the janitor, who keeps a baboon in his shed. The baboon attacks Cassie, causing her to be hospitalised. Meanwhile, Richard kills the janitor in a staged suicide. Sam and Cassie fall out over different professional attitudes towards the investigation, and Captain Cody bans her from pursuing the investigation further when she disobeys instructions.
Justin is interested in his classmate Lisa Mills, and ignores Richard in order to go on a date with her. Richard sees them kissing, becomes jealous, and shows Justin a tape of Lisa having sex with Richard. This enrages Justin, who destroys the composite photo, but regains control of his emotions and remains friends with Richard. Determined to prove that Richard and Justin in fact know each other and are guilty, Cassie secretly takes pictures of them together. However, Richard sees her, and attempts to frighten her by seducing her. To protect herself, Cassie hits Richard in the face. Richard's father contacts Captain Cody, who decides that Cassie must see a psychiatrist. However, Sam decides that Cassie may be right, and further investigates the case.
It is revealed that Cassie herself was the victim of attempted murder by a serial killer to whom she was married, and who had been her high school classmate. Various flashbacks show Cassie's ordeal. Although she was found alive, she has scars on her chest from her wounds. The murderer is in jail, and Cassie is trying to escape testifying at his upcoming parole hearing.
Sam and Cassie bring Richard and Justin in for interrogation. Using the Lisa Mills incident, they try to convince the young men to confess, bribing them with a lighter sentence. Although they know that both Richard and Justin were involved in the crime, they are unsure which of them actually killed the woman. The killer will be executed, while the accessory will serve a lighter sentence. However, neither one is willing to talk, and they are released.
When Richard attempts to save himself by making a false "confession" to the DA, Cassie and Sam decide to arrest both Richard and Justin immediately. The two flee to the resort, but Justin first visits Lisa and admits what he did. Lisa calls the police and tells them where to find Richard and Justin. Meanwhile, Richard gives Justin a pistol, and holds one himself, as they will both commit suicide. However, Justin discovers that Richard put bullets into Justin's pistol, but not into his own. Cassie arrives, and tries to arrest them. Justin surrenders, but Richard shoots Justin in the shoulder and flees upstairs.
Cassie pursues Richard, who tricks her into going out onto an unstable balcony. Richard strangles Cassie, but she fights back and pushes him over the railing, and he falls to his death. But, before Cassie can get back inside, the porch breaks. Justin saves her, and she tells him that he will likely get a light sentence.
When Cassie examines the strangulation marks on her neck, she realises that the marks on the dead woman's neck were not made by Richard. Instead of Justin being manipulated by Richard, as she had previously thought, Richard was being manipulated by Justin, who was the actual killer. Cassie and Sam trick him into confessing. Now at peace with her past, Cassie agrees to testify at the parole hearing. However, it is revealed that Cassie's real name is Jessica Marie Hudson.
Box office performance
The film was released April 19, 2002 in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and grossed $9.3 million in 2,663 theaters its opening weekend, ranking #3 at the box office. The film grossed a total of $56,714,147 worldwide — $31,945,749 in the United States and Canada and $24,768,398 in other territories.
Critical
Reviews for the film were generally mixed. Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
awarded a 31% "Rotten" based on 125 reviews, thiry-nine being "fresh" and eighty-six being "rotten" with a consensus stating "A predictable police procedural that works better as a character study rather than a thriller."
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
awarded three stars out of a possible four with his own consensus stating "Bullock does a good job here of working against her natural likability, creating a character you'd like to like, and could like, if she weren't so sad, strange and turned in upon herself. She throws herself into police work not so much because she's dedicated as because she needs the distraction, needs to keep busy and be good to assure herself of her worth. As she draws the net closer, and runs into more danger and more official opposition, the movie more or less helplessly starts thinking to itself about that cliff above the sea, but at least the climax shows us that Bullock can stay in character no matter what."