rating represent positive . direct by barbet schroeder . if you like hitchcock ` rope and then you will like this movie . ` murder by number star sandra bullock a psychologically troubled yet brilliant police detective cassie mayweather . her partner be sam kennedy and a non discriminatory detective play by ben chaplin . the teenage killer be high school student richard haywood ( ryan gosling ) and justin pendleton ( michael pitt ) . these young psychotic be out to prove their superiority by commit the perfect murder and get away with it and but the nearness of capture be excite and thrill to at least one of the killer . the support character include a police chief and an assistant district attorney and and the high school janitor that the killer pin the murder on . the movie remind me of various ` hitchcock movie cross with the tv show ` law and order . we see a fair bit of police work and it be really interesting to see which clue the detective follow and which one they do not . the other plot in the movie relate to cassie mayweather past and incarcerated ex husband . most viewer find this aspect of the movie unnecessary and slow moving and but i find this to the most intriguing part of the story . ` murder by number be a nicely craft movie if you be look for safe and or should i say dangerous and murder mystery . for more thrill and suspense and try ` se7en or hitchcock ` dial m for murder .