Murder By Numbers

By EWAN McDONALD

(Herald Rating * * * *)

Richard Haywood (Ryan Gosling) is outgoing and sociable; Justin Pendleton (Michael Pitt) is morose and introverted. They have some things in common: they are intelligent; have wealthy, uncaring parents; and want to carry out the perfect murder.

Unlike most teens, they do. And then they challenge the police to catch them. The police are represented by Cassie Mayweather (Sandra Bullock). She's a cop haunted by a violent past, which surfaces in sudden mood swings from vulnerability to anger and makes her unpopular on the force.

Mayweather is assigned to investigate the murder with her new partner, Sam Kennedy (Ben Chaplin). They find few clues until the boys tease them, trying to outsmart the police. But the lads' relationship has tensions, in their dangerous game and their rivalry over a classmate, Lisa (Agnes Bruckner).

Surprising for a Sandra Bullock movie, it's an absorbing and mature thriller. And yes, you may have heard the story before: it's based on an American case in 1924, Leopold and Loeb.

DVD features: movie (120min); commentary by director Barbet Schroeder and editor Lee Percy; trailer; cast and crew information.