Homicide detective Cassie Mayweather (Sandra Bullock), a crime scene specialist on the trail of two high school students, Richard Haywood (Ryan Gosling) and Justin Pendleton (Michael Pitt) who may have committed the perfect crime. The students believe that together with Richard's cunning nature and Justin's intellect they have created the "perfect" criminal mind and can elude the law at will.
Known in the department for her ability to solve cases with her gut instincts and take-no-prisoners style, Cassie is saddled with an inexperienced new partner, Sam Kennedy (Ben Chaplin) who plays it strictly by the book. The homicide detectives must find a way to work together as they uncover a trail of shrewdly concealed evidence that links a murder to the boys.
Special Agent Matti
Movie by numbers.
The title is based on Paint by numbers, a board covered with marks containing numbers. The numbers correspond to different coloured paints (included) which "anyone" can paint onto the board and produce a genuine oil painting which looks like something recognisable. It has come to mean any task which can be completed just by following a set of instructions (no thinking required!). The premise is that you can murder someone and get away with it just by reading up on forensic techniques (or watching too many murder mystery movies). Unfortunately, Tony Gayton and Barbet Schroeder have used the same technique to make their film, giving you the semblance of a murder thriller movie without any of the true substance.
M (Medium level violence, adult themes)
120 minutes (2:00 hours)
Film: 31 October 2002
DVD rental: 19 March 2003
DVD retail: 19 March 2003
VHS rental: 19 March 2003