Rent Mr. Brooks (2007)

Average serial killer movie. - Mr. Brooks review by CP Customer

I was surprised to see positive reviews about this film, I thought it was pretty much an average serial killer movie. The story was nothing special, the acting was wooden and the dialogue at times was downright laughable.

Watchable if you like the genre - Mr. Brooks review by RP

Kevin Costner is not one of my favourite actors - too wooden, with a strong and dislikeable accent - who struggles to play any part that requires subtlety. So he's pretty well cast here as a psychopathic serial killer :)

This is a moderately good film with sufficient blood and a few mild shocks and thrills - nothing too exciting though and certainly nothing to write home about.

The plot is straightforward, if a bit silly. Kostner plays Earl Brooks - the 'Mr Brooks' of the title - a successful businessman who has a secret side to him: he is a serial killer, indeed he is addicted to killing, and has an alter-ego (well played by William Hurt) who encourages him. But he is seen in his latest killing and is blackmailed into taking the witness along for the ride. So far, so good...

But this straightforward (?) scenario is then over-complicated by sub-plots including a multi-millionaire woman cop (Demi Moore) going through a messy divorce, a recently released violent killer whom she is attempting to track down, and the possibility that Mr Brooks' daughter has inherited his addiction to killing.

It's not bad - I quite enjoyed it - but it's not good either, and it's the sub-plots that spoil it, although the one involving his daughter does provide a cheap thrill near the end. Kostner is as wooden as ever, but here it doesn't matter too much and he's better than in many of his films. Demi Moore is poor and seems to be trying to prove something as a wannabe tough cop, complete with f-ing and blinding.

3/5 stars - pretty average stuff, but watchable if you like the genre.