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Mr. Brooks (2007)
Mr. Brooks is a fantastic portrayal of a madman’s mind. After watching the film, it has easily sealed a spot among my favorite films and on a par with the best of 2007. The film contains a somewhat bizarre storyline including a man with a bloodthirsty alter-ego, a vexatious witness to a murder, and a cop with problems of her own chasing down a serial killer infamously known as the "thumbprint killer."
Most of the film is extremely well-contrived. The “Hangman Killer” sub-plot is the most discernible thing that the film could do without. My favorite accessory to the film was the ashamed serial killer Mr. Brooks (played by Kevin Costner) talking to his alter-ego Marshall (played by William Hurt). Mr. Brooks is addicted to killing and is drastically trying to stop, though his darker side (Marshall) convinces him to keep doing it. The film leads you to believe that Mr. Brooks is trying to stop yet cannot help killing. Mr. Brooks, though a murderer, is the man in which the audience is set to believe is the “good guy.”
A man claiming his name is Mr. Smith (played by Dane Cook) witnesses Mr. Brooks commit a murder; a murder that Mr. Brooks had planned to be his last. Mr. Smith blackmails Mr. Brooks with photographs taken by him at the moment of the killing. Mr. Smith asks for an unusual favor from Brooks; to take him with him the next time he kills; to demonstrate a carefully crafted murder to him. Mr. Brooks, who recently planned never to murder again, is forced to murder once more with the blackmail that Mr. Smith has put forth.
The performances in the film are top-notch. Kevin Costner and William Hurt steal the show. The character of Mr. Smith was surprisingly well-acted by comedian Dane Cook. The film starts off in what looks like an apparent cop chasing a murderer plot, yet a good ways into the film originality overflows on the screen creating a genuinely engrossing, disturbing, bizarre, and splendidly frightening experience.
With the exception of the “Hangman Killer” sub-plot as I mentioned before, I rate Mr. Brooks as a perfect thriller superbly combining elements of Crime, Horror, Drama, and Mystery. Mr. Brooks is also undoubtedly one of the best serial killer pictures I’ve ever seen. I could go on and on about how much I've enjoyed this film. It comes highly, highly recommended from me.+
Mr. Brooks is a fantastic portrayal of a madman’s mind. After watching the film, it has easily sealed a spot among my favorite films and on a par with the best of 2007. The film contains a somewhat bizarre storyline including a man with a bloodthirsty alter-ego, a vexatious witness to a murder, and a cop with problems of her own chasing down a serial killer infamously known as the "thumbprint killer."
Most of the film is extremely well-contrived. The “Hangman Killer” sub-plot is the most discernible thing that the film could do without. My favorite accessory to the film was the ashamed serial killer Mr. Brooks (played by Kevin Costner) talking to his alter-ego Marshall (played by William Hurt). Mr. Brooks is addicted to killing and is drastically trying to stop, though his darker side (Marshall) convinces him to keep doing it. The film leads you to believe that Mr. Brooks is trying to stop yet cannot help killing. Mr. Brooks, though a murderer, is the man in which the audience is set to believe is the “good guy.”
A man claiming his name is Mr. Smith (played by Dane Cook) witnesses Mr. Brooks commit a murder; a murder that Mr. Brooks had planned to be his last. Mr. Smith blackmails Mr. Brooks with photographs taken by him at the moment of the killing. Mr. Smith asks for an unusual favor from Brooks; to take him with him the next time he kills; to demonstrate a carefully crafted murder to him. Mr. Brooks, who recently planned never to murder again, is forced to murder once more with the blackmail that Mr. Smith has put forth.
The performances in the film are top-notch. Kevin Costner and William Hurt steal the show. The character of Mr. Smith was surprisingly well-acted by comedian Dane Cook. The film starts off in what looks like an apparent cop chasing a murderer plot, yet a good ways into the film originality overflows on the screen creating a genuinely engrossing, disturbing, bizarre, and splendidly frightening experience.
With the exception of the “Hangman Killer” sub-plot as I mentioned before, I rate Mr. Brooks as a perfect thriller superbly combining elements of Crime, Horror, Drama, and Mystery. Mr. Brooks is also undoubtedly one of the best serial killer pictures I’ve ever seen. I could go on and on about how much I've enjoyed this film. It comes highly, highly recommended from me.+