Murder By Numbers

Day 176 - 6/25/09 - Movie #175

BEFORE: A few more "cop" films to go, and I'll be at the halfway point for the whole year. I don't know many details about this one, except that Sandra Bullock plays a cop (!!) facing off against murder suspects.

THE PLOT: Two gifted high school students execute a "perfect" murder - then become engaged in an intellectual contest with a seasoned homicide detective.

AFTER: Eventually the "gather all the suspects in one room" conventions gave way to "interview each suspect in a windowless room with a two-way mirror" conventions. And while I credit shows like "CSI" for showcasing the fine scientific techniques used by today's crimefighters, there's also the possibility that they give criminals tips on how to not leave evidence behind.

I found this plot to be almost completely unbelievable - especially Sandra Bullock as a cop. Being withdrawn and "unapproachable" is not a good character trait - in a film it's usually a substitute for HAVING a character. Then we have a couple of teens that are so obsessed with forensics that they commit murder JUST to prove they can get away with it? Don't moody teens just usually just bring a gun to class or something? Oh, these are supposed to be "smart" kids - then why aren't they busy studying? I'm not buying it. One of the teens is seen failing an English quiz - but then a girl wants him to tutor her in physics because he's a "genius" - well, which is it?

Bullock's character denies all the evidence and follows her "gut feelings" - or is that woman's intuition? And what's all this "the profile doesn't fit the profile!" nonsense mean? The profile IS the profile, isn't it? I like a cat + mouse thriller as much as the next guy, but it's got to be believable. Profilers succeed at what they do precisely because people DO fit into profiles, 99% of the time. There just isn't a "Hey, let's kill someone just to fool the cops" profile.

This movie glorifies both murder and suicide, and I can't condone that. It seems like the director also set out to fool the audience - the commentary track on the DVD is probably just "Neener neener neener!" over and over. Plus, why not use the Police song "Murder By Numbers" during the closing credits? It's one of the few Police songs I like that isn't completely overplayed - "Murder by Numbers, 1, 2, 3 - it's as easy to learn as your A, B, C's..."

RATING: 3 out of 10 carpet fibers