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Reviews of Mr. Brooks
Solid psychological thriller!
Posted : 5 days, 15 hours ago on 27 November 2008 01:57
(A review of Mr. Brooks)"I don't enjoy killing, Mr. Smith. I do it because I'm addicted to it."
Mr. Brooks is an intense, absorbing thriller and a stimulating addition to the interminable serial killer genre. It's a curious unification of the campy and the intellectual, of high perception and low psychology. Regardless of these contradictions (or perhaps owing to them), Mr. Brooks succeeds astonishingly. In the 21st century it almost certainly seems the serial killer genre has been exploited too excessively, with little originality left to explore. To date, a tiny quantity of serial killer films have spawned a truly laudable product. The only notable serial killer movies include Silence of the Lambs, Se7en, American Psycho and Zodiac, with very few in between. Mr. Brooks is fresh blood in its genre. Deriving apparent inspiration from American Psycho (and Silence of the Lambs to a trifling extent), the film is constructed on a compelling premise and an enthralling story. Addiction regularly makes for good cinema; its intrinsic drama - man vs. himself - capable of elevating the most mundane premise into a dark, engaging examination of human nature. What if killing was an unassailable addiction? This is the fundamental query Mr. Brooks sets out to deal with.
Mr. Earl Brooks (Costner) is Portland's Man of the Year; he's a wealthy businessman (owning a lucrative box-manufacturing company) as well as a loving family man to his wife Emma (Helgenberger) and daughter Jane (Panabaker). Unfortunately, Mr. Brooks has an addiction to killing provoked by an inner voice that he beholds as a physical manifestation named "Marshall" (Hurt). Marshall is the dark side of Mr. Brooks' psyche that pines for blood and murder. Previously, Brooks' untraceable murdering earned him the title of 'The Thumbprint Killer'. Due to his utmost intelligence, Brooks has been capable of orchestrating perfect crimes without ever being caught. However for two years Mr. Brooks has attended AA meetings and controlled his fiery addiction. But on one night he relapses to his darker side. This is only the first 15 minutes...the remainder of the film chronicles the consequences of this ominous relapse. It's simply too juicy and delectable to spoil.
With its minuscule $20 million budget, Mr. Brooks is a gripping and enjoyable thriller. The script rarely plods (despite a surplus of unnecessary subplots) as the constant fascinating twists (most of which I've opted not to spoil where other critics gleefully have) easily engage a viewer. This is director Bruce A. Evans' second outing as a director, significantly improving over his initial debut - the Christian Slater vehicle Kuffs from 1992. In spite of this prolonged absence from the director's chair, Evans manages the script-to-screen transformation with admirable dexterity. The visuals are extremely slick, generating an additional layer of interest on top of the involving screenplay. Evans wrote the script with usual collaborator Raynold Gideon (who had together penned Starman, Stand by Me and Kuffs). The clever screenplay infuses the film with witty dialogue and interpretable subplots, leading to a delightfully ambiguous conclusion (which may or may not leave room open for a sequel). Despite the psychological complexity of the human mind illustrated by the main character's dual representation, the film's approach is visceral. The murders are graphic, bloody and violent. There is also sex and semi-explicit nudity. Oddly, there's also a macabre sense of humour.
Without a doubt, Mr. Brooks is a unique picture. Never before have I beheld anything quite like this. A contrite killer yearning for a career change, a murderer attempting to conceal his gloomy actions - these themes aren't anything innovative, but the unoriginality has been effectively subverted by this poised picture. Screenwriters Evans and Gideon have constructed a devilishly shrewd yet straightforward thriller. During the process they've conceived a character genuinely addicted to killing in the classic sense. He goes to meetings, he anxiously tries to stop, but yet he can't seem to refuse his imaginary alter ego. The character of Mr. Brooks is so meticulous in his murdering that it seems impossible he'll ever be caught unless he wants someone to stop him - and this idea is explored.
It's interesting to note that, despite the brutality of his actions, Mr. Brooks is a sympathetic character. Marshall is made the villain and Brooks a tortured soul who genuinely wants to stop but is unable due to his addiction. By splitting the man into halves, it's possible to like one and dislike the other. Earl Brooks is the ideal husband, father, and businessman. Marshall, on the other hand, is a dark creature lurking in the corner of his soul, thirsting for blood and mayhem. The film is particularly inventive in its creation of Marshall; the Hyde to Earl Brooks' Dr. Jekyll.
Mr. Brooks is entertaining, twisted and disturbing yet gratifying from the very first frame, with thoroughly well-defined characters, a labyrinthine plot that prevents you from thinking too far ahead, and all the efficiency of a Swiss watch. The story is novelistic, with almost every character running their own individual life that ultimately comes to bear on the main events. Yet these diversions seem neither excessive nor too convenient. With so many rich characters populating the film, a satisfying conclusion is pivotal. The stunning ending wraps up everything admirably and ingeniously, exceeding all expectations. Such unpredictability is a rare element in a thriller, elevating the film's quality once again.
There are unfortunate miscalculations - Demi Moore, for example, nearly ruins an almost perfect cast with her bland performance as the tenacious Detective Tracy Atwood. Her character's back-story (including an ugly divorce and an escaped psycho hunting her) feels contrived and unnecessary. The energy behind the camera never relents; however Atwood's history is redundant padding. Add to this the question of why a multi-millionaire would work the difficult career of a cop, let alone why she'd even continue working at all! Unfortunately, other flaws arrive in the wrapping up of Atwood's story - a nonsensical MTV-style slo-mo shootout.
Moore's Atwood needed to be tauter. An audience becomes involved with Costner's charming Mr. Brooks...why should they become involved with someone else? Atwood seems like a stock character needlessly inflated to the third dimension. In an almost superfluous narrative thread, she endeavours to hunt down and apprehend the 'Thumbprint Killer' yet no actual communication between the two is established until the film approaches its climax. It only worsens things that Moore sleepwalks through most of her scenes.
The film lives and dies by the performance of the titular central character, and Kevin Costner knocks this one out of the park! Costner is all layered nuance and imposed debonairness here, balancing a self-assured exterior with a tumultuous interior. The veteran actor commits unequivocally to the screenplay and immerses himself into the character; trusting that regardless of how vile his behaviour, a viewer will always want to see what happens next because the story is so compelling. This is a top-notch performance, and just the right thing to redeem himself for past movie misfires.
As Marshall - the physical embodiment of Brooks' angst-ridden psyche - William Hurt provides a compelling, gripping window into an internal struggle. Hurt is perfect for the role. The film cleverly establishes the cinematic rules early into the game, with Costner's Earl Brooks disengaging from a conversation with a real person to mull things over with Marshall. No matter how animated the imaginary discourse becomes, it's all an intellectual exercise. Earl Brooks isn't afflicted with any sort of multiple-personality disorder...he is always in control: the most Marshall can offer is an opinion, making Brooks ultimately responsible for his actions (just like anyone with a monkey on their back).
Demi Moore is the weakest link, as I said before, but the rest of the cast is fantastic. Dane Cook is incredible; his performance is out of the ordinary and this is probably his best role to date. He is no longer just the handsome leading man of Good Luck Chuck or Employee of the Month. Marg Helgenberger and Danielle Panabaker are also solid as the family of Mr. Brooks.
Overall, Mr. Brooks is an underrated gem of a picture featuring a gloriously original script and a pitch-perfect performance from one Kevin Costner. This is a fantastic serial killer flick; boasting sleek production values and a few mild jolts. It's a fairly flawed movie, though: there are problems in the script department at times, and Demi Moore's awful performance occasionally threatens to destroy the film. Yet the interesting injection of humanity into a serial killer makes for an interesting character, and Costner pulls it off satisfactorily. Mr. Brooks shows that if given the proper role, Kevin Costner is still a believable leading man. The film also runs at an agreeable pace; not too fast, not too slow. If you're seeking an original and compelling thriller, then Mr. Brooks is worth checking out.
8.1/10
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A Wonderous Split Mind of Masterful Murder.
Posted : 1 week, 1 day ago on 23 November 2008 08:55
(A review of Mr. Brooks)Mr. Earl Brooks: [about Mr. Smith] Maybe I should drive over there and pick him up.
Marshall: No, just honk. Maybe he'll get killed crossing the street. Save us the mess of doing it.
[Both start laughing. Then, Mr. Brooks honks the horn and Mr. Smith nearly gets hit by a car while crossing]
Mr. Earl Brooks: Almost.
A psychological thriller about a man who is sometimes controlled by his murder-and-mayhem-loving alter ego.
Kevin Costner: Mr. Earl Brooks
According to interviews with Kevin Costner, this wonderful Mr Brooks is the first installment in a mysterious thrilling trilogy.
The prayer Mr. Brooks states throughout the movie is interestingly called "Serenity Prayer" written by the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. This prayer is in use in Alcoholics Anonymous since the early 1940s. Mr. Brooks visits AA-meetings to curb his morbid addiction.
Strangely enough Zach Braff was originally cast as Mr. Smith, although it could of been quite pleasing for him to do this role, in some ways.
When I viewed Mr Brooks I wasn't sure what to look out for or make an assessment as to what it would be like. It had some other elements to it such as Kevin Costner's thought process and his family. The idea of putting William Hurt in this movie was incredible and very creative casting him as Kevin Costner's dual mind. This was very original in many ways and displayed something different and unique that has not been really shown before.
The way they filmed certain parts in the car sequences really hits home into the deep psychological shots conveying both sides of a split persona.
''I don't enjoy killing, Mr. Smith. I do it because I'm addicted to it.''
The best part of this movie was Kevin Costner's miraculously changing performance. His performance was probably the most unique and different compare to other serial killer movies, making his character realistic. The movie was mostly based and revolved around him it allowed for his character to develop and open up. He showed something that I would never expect from Kevin Costner. He was perfect fit because he displayed exactly how many psychopaths are: intelligent, calm and precise. He also fit perfectly because it actually made sense that someone with a personality and status like Costner's could actually be like a Jack the Ripper sort of person. He displayed how he is fighting himself(William Hurt) on whether he should kill or not. But like most psychopaths it eventually becomes repetitive and automatic. He had this obsessive compulsion of just killing people. Costner shows how he is in constant pain and just cannot escape his temptations and paranoia. It was really amazing watching him and William Hurt together. I think the ending perfectly illustrated his performance.
What really ruined this movie was Demi Moore. She just did not bring anything at all to this story. She did not seem into the character and was just too average. Dane Cook was just the same diluted out of place shadow as Moore. When I look at him I think smiles and happy happenings. He was not convincing and more out of place than comedic.
Danielle Panabaker plays the daughter of Mr. Brooks and Mrs. Brooks (Marg Helgenberger). Panabaker's younger sister, Kay Panabaker plays the recurring role of Lindsey Willows, the daughter of Catherine Willows (also played by Marg Helgenberger) on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2000) for CBS.
Mr. Earl Brooks: Would it bother you to kill a woman?
Mr. Smith: No. No, an asshole's an asshole.
Overall Director Bruce Evans does a wonderous job at the core of proceedings, providing a fast paced psychological thriller helped out by clever dialogue, and one of the most intelligent characters portrayed on film since Hannibal Lecter in Mr. Brooks. It's almost unreal even surreal, how resourceful, cunning and clever Costner's character is. Another thing I liked, as mentioned, was the symmetry between Costner and Hurt. The actors carry a lot of the same mannerisms into their characters, and with the help of Evans, it looks great. There are times where they will do the same movement at the exact same time. Mr. Brooks is a first rate thriller that any fan of the genre should enjoy. The plot has its twists and turns before the grand finale, which reminds the viewer that...Mr. Brooks isn't too be under-estimated or caught out...
Revealing mistakes: When Detective Tracey Atwood's head is stitched it is a visibly huge and nasty head wound which would normally need some bandaging in addition to the stitches. However, in subsequent scenes there are no bandages visible nor is her hair shaved.
Continuity: As Earl is getting out of a taxi, he walks with a cane held with his right hand for a short distance. When he reaches his car, he hooks the cane over his left arm. In the next shot, he's holding the cane in his left hand by its shaft.
Continuity: When Mr. Brooks kills the first couple, the lamp inside the room is turned on. However, after he kills the couple, the room is dark and the lamp is off. The lamp later appears turned on in the photograph. The reflection of the lamp which appears turned off can also be seen right after the couple gets killed.
''Before I was the Thumbprint Killer, Mr. Smith, I killed a lot of people in a lot of different ways.''
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Mr. Brooks review
Posted : 11 months, 3 weeks ago on 15 December 2007 12:46
(A review of Mr. Brooks)I enjoyed watching this more than I should have. It wasn't that great but I had fun watching it nonetheless. Somehow I had a feeling that they probably intended at first to make a comedy at first. Yet for some strange reason they kinda tried to make it series and dramatic for most of the film but I had a feeling they just gave up and went "eh" and decided to make it a comedy after all. Plus the whole Earl and Marshall interaction is especially amusing. Or maybe I just have a twisted sense of humor.
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Very good psychological thriller
Posted : 12 months ago on 8 December 2007 12:51
(A review of Mr. Brooks)I was very excited when hearing about this film. The plot looked superb, and Kevin Costner is a great actor. And I was right on target. The acting was great from Kevin Costner, and Dane Cooke, well, was not superb. Demi Moore also played a good role as a cop. I loved the plot,simply because it was a serial killer genre movie, and Iam into those. The suspense was awesome. It had me hooked from beginning to end. A great film.
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Disturbing...
Posted : 1 year ago on 21 November 2007 01:02
(A review of Mr. Brooks)At the beginning I thought it will be a boring movie but then it got really suspenseful.
And in the end I left the cinema with a disturbing feeling...
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cast and characters
Posted : 1 year, 1 month ago on 27 October 2007 09:31
(A review of Mr. Brooks)Mr Earl Brooks (Costner) is a successful businessman, who has something to hide. He's a serial killer, who is hunted by soon-to-be-divorced policewoman Tracy Atwood (Demi Moore). But will Brooks get caught?
Kevin Costner and William Hurt (as the maniacal representation of Brooks' conscience, Marshall) both gave great performances. Their characters were well synchronized, and made them even more haunting.
Also excellent were Dane Cook (the murder witness), Danielle Panabaker (daughter Jane Brooks), and Marg Helgenberger (wife Emma Brooks).
Terribly miscast and a terribly bad actress is indeed Demi Moore. (And her character I must say is quite unbelievable. A rich $60-million worth COP??? Give me a break. Let's be realistic here. If she had that money, trust me, she wouldn't be working! and if she did, her job most certainly would not be in the police force.)
Other than that, the movie was well directed, and its script was good - although some scenes were predictable to a certain degree.
The ending left me indifferent, because I expected it to end when it should have, that is without those few 'extra' scenes - this is hard to explain without spoiling something. But, if it's a trilogy, perhaps those scenes were needed. If there is a sequel, I sure can't wait to see it.
Watch it and discover a likeable and smart killer in this psychological thriller.
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Costner? Huh?
Posted : 1 year, 3 months ago on 19 August 2007 11:19
(A review of Mr. Brooks)Normally, I never would have bothered with a Costner flick for the rest of my life, but he shocked me. I'm glad I caved in and saw this film, despite Costner's lead role. Probably his best performance ever, going thru so many emotions. I too felt compassion for this serial killer. odd.
And I agree with Jason's review. Demi Moore was so miscast, and so pathetic. She single-handedly managed to keep this film out of IMDb's Top250 list with her performance. But it shows that even with such a bad role on her part, Costner still managed to carry this film well on his own (though Hurt was awesome too).
Credit also goes out to the script and the plot. Felt truly original, and it had a couple of wicked twists that I never saw coming. Very nicely done.
And in an Interview, Costner hinted this is part of a trilogy, which makes me really interested in any sequels for this, hopefully minus Demi this time. Or at least have Costner kill her off.
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A real surprise
Posted : 1 year, 4 months ago on 22 July 2007 08:56
(A review of Mr. Brooks)I had my doubts about this movie but I have to hand it to Kevin Costner - he made me believe in Mr. Brooks - a complex character. There were times when I couldn't believe I was actually rooting for him.
Costner's interactions with William Hurt were superb - the two characters have an easy going relationship that shows the intimacy of being together for years.
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Thumbprint Killer
Posted : 1 year, 5 months ago on 24 June 2007 02:54
(A review of Mr. Brooks)Kevin Costner really captured the character and brought you into his world. Demi Moore was so bad, but overall, it was a pretty good movie.
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