Patrick Sun

Mr. Brooks - quick review

This might have been a really good film, but it has a good setup in the 1st act, but falters a bit in the second act, and just runs out of steam in the last act.

Kevin Costner is more than up to the task of playing a man, Mr. Brooks, who has an addiction to killing (the cops dubbed him the thumbprint killer), but also has enough foresight to plan the killings to remove as much possibility of being caught for the killings. Dane Cook is mediocre in an underwritten role as a voyeur photographer who happens to snap a shot of Brooks during one of his kills, and uses that leverage to get Brooks to show him the ropes in terms of killing people without getting caught. Demi Moore's character as the detective on the case of the thumbprint killer with her own marital troubles and professional pitfalls (escaped felon on the loose with a score to settle). The tone of film is uneven as the director just doesn't juggle all the subplots with equal care or conviction. There is a satisfying onscreen kill in the film (well, for me, at least).

It's a worth an afternoon matinee is you're remotely interested in the character or plot.

I give it 2.5 stars, or a grade of C+.

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Elizabeth S

Re: Mr. Brooks - quick review

I think I know which one you mean.

I had very high hopes for this one, but I pretty much agree with Patrick. And a certain something that happens very late in the film infuriated me.

I give it a C.

Bob Gallagher

Re: Mr. Brooks - quick review

Saw it last night, my review:

"Mr. Brooks" is quite a departure for Kevin Costner. Costner plays the titular Earl Brooks, a philanthropist, family man and schizophrenic serial killer. Costner is joined by William Hurt, who plays Marshall, Brooks' imaginary friend who goads him to kill and helps him plan his crimes and think things through. The scenes with the two of them are brilliant and they do an excellent job working off of each other. As the film opens, Mr. Brooks is being named "Man of the Year" and Marshall is prodding him to kill again as it has been too long. When Brooks gives in to this urge, he is inadvertently photographed by "Mr. Smith" (Dane Cook). Mr. Smith decides he would like to be Brooks' apprentice and blackmails him with the photos, wanting "murder lessons" in return. In the meantime, Mr. Brooks is being pursued by a zealous detective (Demi Moore), who only knows him as the "Thumbprint Killer". The film has a slight "American Psycho" feel (except not nearly as funny-that's right, funny!) with a helping of "Fight Club" tossed in. The performances are all outstanding and I expect this will be the sleeper hit of the summer. The showing we went to was very crowded and, interestingly enough, with many elderly people. We wonder if they knew what they were getting into or thought that a Kevin Costner movie with an innocuous title would be "nice". If so, they must have been horrified. This film is outright vicious at times and Costner is chilling in the lead role. They use the tried-and-true Superman device of Costner wearing nerdy horn-rimmed glasses in his regular life and being very mild mannered and then turning into a cold, calculating killer when the mood strikes him. If you enjoy dark psychological drama, you must check it out. There are plenty of great plot twists and surprises along the way and I have purposely left out much of the plot and subplots in my recap.

Grade: B+

Henry Gale

Re: Mr. Brooks - quick review

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Gallagher Costner is joined by William Hurt... The scenes with the two of them are brilliant ...

...and that is reason enough to see the film.
My screening had just me in the auditorium. Sometimes life is just very very good.

The first time the "two" serial killers were laughing together, I also found myself laughing out loud, alone in the dark. Slightly disturbing.
The movie certainly has huge flaws, but there are some actors whose movies must always be seen, Christopher Walken is one, William Hurt is another.