Mr Brooks - review

"Surprisingly not a film about my mate Mike Brooks"

Mr Brooks (18)

Dir. Bruce A. Evans

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Want to play a game? Let’s play ‘Marshall says’…
OK, Marshall says: “follow that attractive couple home and scout out their house.”
Nobody will suspect you because you’re a wealthy, successful businessman – a real pillar of the community.

Marshall says: “create a believable excuse for you to be working late into the night.”
This is easier than expected because you’ve got your own glazing studio in which you can work on projects (it comes equipped with a handy kiln / incinerator).

Marshall says: “murder the attractive couple for kicks and ensure that there’s absolutely nothing that can tie you to the scene of the crime.”
Aha, now we’re having fun, you see serially killing random people is our hobby and we’ve been meticulously doing it for years – we even have our own media moniker - ‘The thumbprint killer’.

Marshall says: “you were stupid and someone took a photo of you at the murder scene.”
Oh dear, now this is a problem, how could we have been so foolish, this could undo all our carefully laid plans.

Marshall says: “everything you know is over as the photographer is going to blackmail you.”
HHhmmmm, need to think about this carefully, but wait, seems this isn’t going to be your average blackmail request…

Marshall says: “you’ve either got to find a way to kill this scumbag or face life in jail…”
Yes yes, details details. Does this schmuck know who he’s dealing with here?

Marshall says: “he can’t tell you anymore or it will ruin the plot of Mr Brooks for you!”
Fair point that one, this is a film worth seeing without knowing too much detail.

And so it is that Mr Brooks (Kevin Costner on a blistering return to form) leads a double life – by day sweet natured businessman and father, - by night a serial killer who has evaded capture for many years racking up a huge bodycount in the process. His mental instability is brilliantly realised by having William Hurt play the ‘voice in his head’ – Marshall who only Brooks and the audience can see. Director Bruce ‘Kuffs’ Evans does a credible job of turning Kevin Costner into an antihero to rival the mighty Hannibal Lector with this sharply plotted and brutally satisfying thriller. It shows the charisma that Mr Brooks emanates in that by the end you’re more likely to be willing him to get away with his dastardly deeds than see him brought to book by dogged Detective Atwood (Demi Moore).

Marshall says : “go and see Mr Brooks!”
– for once it’s worth listening to the voice in your head because he seems to have a good taste in films!

Out of 5 you have to go with a much better than expected 4 (Marshall told me to give it 5 but I think 4 is fair)...

Darkmatters ratings:

Action ööö – Enough to keep it all ticking over very nicely
Laughs ööö – some wry dark humour
Horror ööö – some pretty icky kills
Babes ööö – Brook's daughter is cute (see below)

Overall öööö (who'd have suspected Kostner of having it in him?)


"like father, like daughter... subplot alert!"

Darkmatters: H O M E