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Movies / On DVD / Mr. Brooks
Mr. Brooks

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Mr. Brooks (2007)

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Reviews Counted:12

Fresh:6

Rotten:6

Average Rating:5/10

Consensus: The setup is intriguing, but Mr. Brooks overstuffs itself with twists and subplots, becoming more preposterous as it goes along.

Rated: 18 [See Full Rating] for strong bloody violence, some graphic sexual content, nudity and language.

Runtime: 2 hrs

Genre: Detectives, Switching Roles, Thriller, Murder, Theatrical Release, Crime, Serial Killers

Theatrical Release:12-10-2007

Synopsis: Kevin Costner stars as Earl Brooks, a man whose seemingly perfect family and status in the community hide an ugly secret. Brooks constantly says the plea of an addict--the Serenity Prayer--but he's... Kevin Costner stars as Earl Brooks, a man whose seemingly perfect family and status in the community hide an ugly secret. Brooks constantly says the plea of an addict--the Serenity Prayer--but he's not in the grip of drugs or alcohol. Instead, his neat little bow tie belies a man with an urge to kill. Though he's staved off that desire for two years, it has returned thanks to the efforts of his evil inner voice (William Hurt, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE). He is caught in the act by a man who calls himself Mr. Smith (Dane Cook, EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH), but Mr. Smith doesn't want to turn Brooks in. The smarmy amateur photographer wants to learn from Brooks's methodical ways and become a killer himself. Meanwhile, a tough cop (Demi Moore, BOBBY) hunts for the man responsible for deaths all over Portland while she deals with issues in her own life. MR. BROOKS presents a fascinating portrait of a man at war with himself. As the devil on Brooks's shoulder, Oscar winner Hurt adeptly alternates between menace and glee, adding to a resume already replete with varied roles. Though Costner is mostly known for playing nice guys (FIELD OF DREAMS) and charming rogues (BULL DURHAM), his performance as the tortured killer is interesting to watch, and he rises to the challenge of playing a completely different character than the kind he is known for. MR. BROOKS is an engaging thriller that goes into the fractured mind of a murderer, while also delivering an intriguing maze of multiple subplots. [More]

Starring: Kevin Costner, William Hurt, Demi Moore, Dane Cook

Starring: Kevin Costner, William Hurt, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, Marg Helgenberger, Jason Lewis, Yasmine Delawari, Michael Cole

Director: Bruce A. Evans

Director: Bruce A. Evans
Screenwriter: Bruce A. Evans, Raynold Gideon
Producer: Kevin Costner, Raynold Gideon, Jim Wilson
Studio: MGM

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Reviews for Mr. Brooks

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1 - 12 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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There's enough ambition for a miniseries here, and satellite viewers already have the rather terrific Dexter. Stuffed into two hours, it's all a bit of a pile-up.

Full Review Source: Daily Telegraph | comment Comment
10/12/07
Tim Robey
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

If you can stomach the psychological codswallop of a serial killer keeping the demons at bay via Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, it may well be possible to enjoy this taut-ish thriller.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
10/12/07
Cath Clarke
Cath Clarke
Guardian [UK]
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There’s plenty to recommend this old-fashioned serial-killer flick.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
10/12/07
Wendy Ide
Wendy Ide
Times [UK]
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Despite numerous cutesy twists, it's the gradual unveiling of a warped morality that lures you into Brooks' world.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
10/10/07
Stella Papamichael
Stella Papamichael
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Although flawed, this remains a blackly funny noir treat thanks to Costner and Hurt’s double-act.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
10/10/07
Andrew Male
Andrew Male
Empire Magazine
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Mr Brooks is a new spin on murder-by-numbers: one fascinating character, two outstanding performances, and subplots too numerous for the film's coherence or the viewer's sanity.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
10/04/07
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Channel 4 Film
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This wannabe highbrow horror-thriller is a graceless, unfocused piece of work with a central narrative as tonally schizophrenic and wayward as its lead.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/23/07
David Jenkins
David Jenkins
Time Out
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A classic guilty pleasure -- a great-looking, weirdly compelling thriller with two pedal-flooring performances from Costner and William Hurt.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
06/01/07
Richard Roeper
Richard Roeper
Chicago Sun-Times
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If it is not as sadistic as the Saw and Hostel movies, it is as malignant in its insistence on the omnipresence of evil.

comment 1 Comment
06/01/07
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
New York Times
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The film probably tilts the balance too far in favor of Mr. Brooks at the expense of the uninspired Det. Atwood.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
05/31/07
Kevin Crust
Kevin Crust
Los Angeles Times
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It should provide discriminating audiences the antidote they seek to Clooneys-and-Caribbean fever, while giving Costner's career a considerable kick in the credibility department.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
05/30/07
John Anderson
John Anderson
Variety
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Overdesigned characters and situations stretch plausibility at every turn.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
05/30/07
Kirk Honeycutt
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
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1 - 12 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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