I don’t know if I can really justify this reaction, but I liked Mr. Brooks regardless. The story is an obvious updating of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story done with no real flair to distinguish itself amongst a mess of other serial killer films that pop up every couple years (Taking Lives, Suspect Zero). But that concept itself, of a man fighting against his own intrinsic nature is intriguing enough.
Supposedly the first film in a trilogy (according to star Kevin Costner), Mr. Brooks is the story of “Man of the Year” Mr. Earl Brooks. The operator of a local company, a caring father and loving husband… and also a man who stalks and kills at night to satiate his bloodthirsty alter ego Marshall (William Hurt).
Costner plays Mr. Brooks as a man with an unconquerable addiction (even enrolling himself in AA as a means of quelling his need to kill). He manages to keep his desires at bay in spells, but before long Hurt’s merry little devil whispering in his ear has him lining up another victim. And with each kill, Costner reacts euphorically like murder is his release of bottled-up sexual tension.
But during a botched killing, in which Mr. Brooks leaves the first clues to his identity, a duo of odd casting choices gets involved. Demi Moore – who hasn’t been in a movie in a decade that I’ve wanted to see – is Detective Tracy Atwood, an independently wealthy do-gooder who specializes in catching serial killers. And Dane Cook (always best used in short stints such as in Waiting…). Cook especially seems to stick out as strange, obviously known best for his comic performances but he seems to perfectly capture the seedy photographer Mr. Smith who wants to emulate what Mr. Brooks does, while Costner and Hurt exchange jokes at his expense throughout.
The film eventually throws in a couple subplots too many with Detective Atwood dealing with her ex-husband and another group of serial killers, while Mr. Brooks is afraid that his daughter might be following his example (that she wants to run the ‘family business’ after he’s gone is only too fitting) all while trying to keep Mr. Smith happy. But for what it is, Mr. Brooks is an interesting, entertaining serial killer story.
And honestly, coming from the guy responsible for the scripts to Jungle 2 Jungle and Cutthroat Island, what more could you expect?
Supposedly the first film in a trilogy (according to star Kevin Costner), Mr. Brooks is the story of “Man of the Year” Mr. Earl Brooks. The operator of a local company, a caring father and loving husband… and also a man who stalks and kills at night to satiate his bloodthirsty alter ego Marshall (William Hurt).
Costner plays Mr. Brooks as a man with an unconquerable addiction (even enrolling himself in AA as a means of quelling his need to kill). He manages to keep his desires at bay in spells, but before long Hurt’s merry little devil whispering in his ear has him lining up another victim. And with each kill, Costner reacts euphorically like murder is his release of bottled-up sexual tension.
But during a botched killing, in which Mr. Brooks leaves the first clues to his identity, a duo of odd casting choices gets involved. Demi Moore – who hasn’t been in a movie in a decade that I’ve wanted to see – is Detective Tracy Atwood, an independently wealthy do-gooder who specializes in catching serial killers. And Dane Cook (always best used in short stints such as in Waiting…). Cook especially seems to stick out as strange, obviously known best for his comic performances but he seems to perfectly capture the seedy photographer Mr. Smith who wants to emulate what Mr. Brooks does, while Costner and Hurt exchange jokes at his expense throughout.
The film eventually throws in a couple subplots too many with Detective Atwood dealing with her ex-husband and another group of serial killers, while Mr. Brooks is afraid that his daughter might be following his example (that she wants to run the ‘family business’ after he’s gone is only too fitting) all while trying to keep Mr. Smith happy. But for what it is, Mr. Brooks is an interesting, entertaining serial killer story.
And honestly, coming from the guy responsible for the scripts to Jungle 2 Jungle and Cutthroat Island, what more could you expect?
5 comments:
Wow, I'm really surprised you liked this movie Brian. I alas, did not. I was entertained to some degree but I found it cliche and boring. Dane Cook was just annoying (as usual when not doing stand up) and if Demi Moore doesn't start doing good work again I'm going to--I don't know what I'm going to do but I'm so sick of her popping up in these stupid movies just so she can let people know she's still alive and still hot and can command a ridiculous salary for the least possible effort. Puke. Maybe her and Ashton have some crazy bet going on as to who can get the most money for the worst acting? That'd actually be kind of cool. But since I can't confirm it, I stand by my previous convictions.
Anyway, William Hurt was admittedly creepy in this but he should have been downright scary (if he was this devil inside Costner) and Costner was just bland. I heard him say he was struggling to control his urge but I didn't really see it. The girl who played his daughter was the only actor who was able to make me uncertain about her character (which was the intended goal) and while her story lines never really got resolved and hers was a minor role, she was the only element that kept me mildly intrigued with her performance.
~2 Stars
Like I said, I can't really defend why I liked Mr. Brooks (although I tried), but I do like it anyway.
Do have a couple things to say about your response though.
1) Dane Cook is generally annoying even IN his standup routine. He can be funny in spells, but I've always felt he's best taken in small samples (which is why I liked him as this dopey, seedy Mr. Smith character).
2) Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher do make some genuinely awful movies... but pair them up with Costner and for some reason I have a soft spot for the film (yep, also a soft spot for that obvious Top Gun ripoff The Guardian).
3) William Hurt actually does a great job in this film. I don't feel like he needed to be creepier, he wasn't creepy at all actually... he was just a creep (which somehow feels totally different to me).
4) Kevin Costner underplays the role so much so that he's basically playing an emotionally crippled man. Someone who's so horrified at what he does that he bottles it up inside himself. Plus, part of the point is that he's supposed to be playing an 'everyman' character and that this 'everyman' character is capable of these horrible acts.
I'm not saying it's a great movie or even a very good movie. But I liked it with a lot of reservations. It was a movie, much like Disturbia (although I like it more than that one) that you can throw in and be entertained by if you don't stop to think too much into it.
Hahaha oh I had forgotten about The Guardian! I really liked that one. But yeah, still a big fat NO for Mr. Brooks. It was just all wrong. But if you like it, that's okay too. I like plenty of movies you think are bad and visa versa. This is not the first and it won't be the last. Makes for more interesting discussion, wouldn't you agree?
I'm gonna have to side with Mulligan on this one as much as it pains me to support a Costner flick these days.
I agree with just about everything he said except about Demi Moore. I thought he role was truly awful as was her acting. She is there just to allow for some unexpected turn in plot as opposed to actually being a character that participates in the plot.
I though Dane Cook was pretty good in his small spells. I thought Costner gave his best performance in a long time. William Hurt has erased his hammy performance in Lost in Space from my memory. With this and History of Violence, he has quickly become one of my favorite actors working today. I thought he was perfect here.
I didn't really care for the whole daughter/ father bond that is revealed. I've taken psychology and I'm pretty sure that "psychopath" isn't transferred through DNA.
I saw it in theaters and still can recall the story well enough for me to write this, so it wasn't completely forgettable. Overall solid entertainment, but a trilogy is not needed.
Overall, I liked this movie. Dane Cook surprised me, I was expecting some smart-ass remarks like from his stand up... but there wasn't any, which was great. Demi Moore was alright, but I feel I've seen her character too much. For some reason I can't stand badass chick cops. As for Hurt, he was great. I didn't find him creepy at all. He's a smooth-talker. He talked Brooks into murdering the couple in the first place. What a schmoozer?!?! I think the idea of an alter-ego that convinces a person to murder is a little creppy, but it works. This was Costner's best performance in years. I think the only other movie of his I can stand to watch has to be the Robin Hood one. The only things I really didn't like were all the damn side stories. I didn't need to know that the badass chick cop was going through a divorce OR any of the specifics about any of her other cases. It made the movie less interesting and almost boring. BUT I still really enjoyed it.
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