MURDER BY NUMBERS

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Gosling, Michael Pitt and Ben Chaplin
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Running Time: 120 mins
Certificate: 15

Out to buy on DVD 20th January

When a young woman is found dead near a country stream, homicide crime scene detective Cassie Mayweather (Bullock) and new partner Sam Kennedy (Chaplin) follow the evidence straight to the killer. The killer however is already dead, by his own hand, but the problem is that Cassie doesn't think that the case is as clean cut as it appears. She has her suspicions and thinks two high school students, Richard Haywood (Gosling) and Justin Pendleton (Pitt), know more about the murder than they should.

Instead of called this movie Murder by Numbers they should have called it Movie Thriller by the Numbers, as there is nothing new here to help you differentiate if from the multitude similar movies that adore this genre.

While still entertaining, the film is very formulaic and delivers no real surprises. What is does have is good performances from two up and coming young actors in Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt. They are both very talented and deserved a better, more inventive script to really showcase their talents. Sandra Bullock is her usual charming self but should really stick to her romantic comedy niche, as the more dramatic role does really suit her.

For a film that starts off as a good idea soon falls into a by the rails thriller that others no surprises or twists. While the two student characters are very interesting, their motivations and uncommon bond is never really explained but they do keep the movie above average category.

Audio Commentary by Director Barbet Schroeder, Audio Commentary by Editor Lee Percy and Trailer

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