Mr. Brooks
Has intrigue and suspense while throwing new twists and plots out every step of the way.
Review by Sirus

I came into “Mr. Brooks” with quite low expectations. All I had to be shown in a trailer to get excited about the movie was a serial killer and I was in there. “Mr. Brooks” is a story about a serial killer who is also a successful businessman. Mr. Brooks (Kevin Costner) is essentially addicted to the thrill of killing and has his twisted alter ego Marshall (William Hurt) tagging along to egg him on and make sure he follows through with what he starts. Mr. Brooks has gone two years now without killing, with the help of AA meetings, but is no longer able to resist the urges and is about to go out for one last thrill, after which he vows to never kill again. Marshall is growing impatient until finally Mr. Brooks sets out to prepare for his last kill. Previously, everything Mr. Brooks did in preparation and cleanup was meticulously planned out so that no evidence was left behind and there was literally no connection between him and the scenes of the crimes. This time Brooks was slightly less thorough in his preparation and didn’t realize that the couple he was about to kill always left their blinds open while they had sex.

Through this little mistake, Brooks comes into contact with a photographer Mr. Smith (Dane Cook) who happens to take photos of the murder. Smith realizes his position completely and uses the photos to get Brooks to do what he wants. Meanwhile there is a skilled detective who is searching after Mr. Brooks and another man who recently escaped from prison whom she had put away. To further complicate matters, Mr. Brooks’ daughter has returned home from school for reasons she is shy to disclose. All these stories and a few more wind together nicely to make an already complicated thriller even more so. Costner, Hurt, and Cook each play their parts perfectly, showing just the right amount of emotion and lack thereof at all the right moments. I particularly liked how the director decided to show us Brooks’ alter ego clearly through a second actor rather than trying to show us one character talking to himself, which could have been quite confusing.

Everything is orchestrated perfectly so as to pull the audience along with intrigue and suspense while throwing new twists and plots at us every step of the way. The best way to describe “Mr. Brooks” is a combination of “Collateral” and “Munich”, two movies that were masterful in their own rights. On the one hand, “Mr. Brooks” has the smooth, methodical feel to it of “Collateral” as well as the witty dialogue and exquisitely loud gunshots that made “Collateral” stand out. On the other hand, just as “Munich” is able to show us another side of assassins and the complicated business they have to go through, “Mr. Brooks” shows us the complexities that go hand in hand with a serial killer. If you are a fan of serial killer movies in general or of deeply twisted dramas, “Mr. Brooks” is a must see. “Mr. Brooks” is much better paced than the recently released “Zodiac” movie and much more exciting. “Mr. Brooks” is a deeply twisted exhilarating experience that anyone who wants to see into the mind of a killer should not miss.

Final Score: 4.5/5