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.
Mr. Brooks (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:149
Fresh:83
Rotten:66
Average Rating:5.7/10
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
Reviews for Mr. Brooks
Evans makes Mr. Brooks the CEO of a box factory--because who would suspect the CEO of a box factory? Plus he's pro-life--how ironic!
A sinful cinematic experience for fans of classy, canny killers like Hannibal Lecter, Patrick Bateman, and Dexter Morgan.
Mr. Brooks is a curious mix of the campy and the intelligent, of high concept and low psychology. In spite of these contradictions, or perhaps because of them, it works.
The few original ideas tend to get bogged down in a plot that's slow, convoluted and even more schizophrenic than Mr. Brooks himself.
Overdesigned characters and situations stretch plausibility at every turn.
[Mr. Brooks] piles subplot upon subplot, making what should have been a taut, disturbing thriller feel bloated and aimless.
The alter-ego gimmick works nicely thanks to terrific Costner-Hurt teamwork in this gripping, complex thriller.
If our movies are any guide, we’re a nation of latent serial killers.
Though it's not as smooth as it might have been and by the close has gotten too clever by half, this trashy thriller delivers the goods more often than not.
Exquisitely constructed, Mr. Brooks is a gorgeous and compelling thriller about a very sympathetic serial killer. ... The story unfolds with the delicious pacing of a carefully prepared feast.
Costner’s best performance ever! An intelligent, terrific thriller with twists and kinky characters. Costner and Hurt are a sensational team.
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