Mr. Brooks

Kevin Costner is in top form after and his serial killer role is magnificent, albeit the phenomenal William Hurt is better. It’s too bad that the script allowed the incredibly disruptive and unnecessarily drawn-out storyline of the police officer's private life to be a part of its perfectly tuned and running mechanism. Otherwise, formally, the film is surprisingly quite a content-conscious effort from the guy who wrote Cutthroat Island. Now he’s been forgiven because the chilling murders and the perfect hallway shootout will resonate in my head for a hell of a long time. (23/12/2007)

Kevin Costner in one of his best roles, not just in recent memory, but overall. A proper, decent family dad, the owner of a packaging company, a bit of a cold fish... and a murderer. A scumbag, anyone would think, but then Mr. Brooks would not be allowed to have the script he has. A cleverly written story that shows him primarily as a sick schizophrenic trying to fight his worse whispering self, played flawlessly by William Hurt. Unsuccessfully. So when Brooks carefully prepares and "goes for it", you almost feel sorry for him. And what about when a character who is even worse than him appears a few minutes into the film? And then one more? And what if Brooks starts dealing with somewhat unusual family problems? You can't really say he's the typical killer we wish the worst for from the start. The film reminded me most of Falling Down, and that speaks in its favor. I round up four and a half for the ending. (27/01/2012)

A charismatic serial killer is a safe bet for a movie. Kevin Costner no longer has the same status as he did in the 90s, and Mr. Brooks is one of the more promising attempts to return to the limelight. He convincingly plays his killer for pleasure, and if one villain wasn't enough, the screenwriter also uses the hallucinogenic alter ego of Mr. Brooks in a stylish performance by William Hurt. The dialogue of the main character with his uncompromising and straightforward self is ultimately the most interesting part of the whole movie. The script is somewhat overdone, but what can you do, in today's inflation of movie titles, you simply have to grab attention somehow. The biggest disadvantage for Mr. Brooks is the absence of an opponent at his level - unfortunately, Demi Moore is not that. Not so much because of her dull acting, but rather because of the script, which doesn't give her as much space and opportunity. Overall impression: 60%. (16/11/2013)

Good acting can't save everything. What Mr. Brooks lacks is a brisker script and a bit more interesting direction. The inspiration in Dexter is evident, but even though Kevin Costner and co are playing in a lower league, it's a pretty good watch. (22/07/2007)

Kevin Costner is finally back, and although his return is not spectacular or thrilling, the role of a successful businessman with murderous appetites fits him like a glove. Mr Brooks is also proper craftsmanship, it has an interesting idea, an impressive atmosphere, a straightforward plot, and a pleasant direction that captures everything exactly as it needs to be. The aforementioned Costner is as reliable as ever and I was able to find my way to his character without any problems. William Hurt also really pulled it off and their scenes together have the right edge and pizzazz. But then there’s Demi Moore... Well, let's just say that as an actress, I never really liked her (except maybe in Ghost), and that hasn't changed at all here. Moreover, her marital affair didn't fit in well and only hindered the two protagonists in their well-paced play. A smart and appealing thriller that doesn't stand out among its competitors, but it would be a mistake to condemn it. (15/10/2012)