Review: ‘Mr Brooks’ Works Due to Low Expectations

June 4th, 2007 in Actors, Drama, Reviews

I’ll be honest. I wasn’t expecting much at all from the new Kevin Costner film ‘Mr Brooks’. When I am critical of certain actors/actresses I tend to hold a grudge, and for years I have mocked both stars (Costner and Demi Moore) of the film. I held my nose and saw the movie this weekend for two reasons A) My mom wanted to see it and B) I didn’t think the movie was going to be as bad as the reviews that panned it.

So… on to the movie. The movie is no work of art. It was, however, entertaining. The faults of the (very see through plot lines and borrowing heavily from other films) outweigh the entertainment value.

Kevin Costner plays the title character Mr Brooks. Brooks looks, on the surface, to be living the American Dream. A successful business owner with a strong marriage, he is actually a disturbed serial killer known as the “thumbprint killer”. He tries to fight his so called “addiction” by going to a Alcoholic Anonymous Meetings but his urge to kill is too much. During what he thinks will be his final murder, he is seen by a photographer who blackmails Brooks into committing more murders.

Demi Moore play Detective Tracy Atwood. She is on to the trial of Mr Brooks but is sidetracked by a messy divorce. Atwood has a huge estate and her sleazy soon to be ex-husband wants a big payday. Her Portland Police Supervisors don’t want the attention so they plead with her to get the divorce settled. Mr Brooks, knowing that Atwood is closing in on him, sets up a murder plot that will solve many of his problems.

Also in the film are various subplots involving Mr Brooks’ alter ego (Howard played by William Hurt) and his troubled daughter Jane (Danielle Panabaker). Atwood’s character also has a lot on her plate besides searching for Brooks. An escaped murderer has vowed for revenge after she put him away for murder. So, that is a lot on the plate for any one film and probably why it had a poor reception from the nations critics. The movie is a worthwhile trip to a bargain matinee. Don’t expect a masterpiece, but ‘Mr Brooks’ is far from terrible.

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