The man who has everything has everything to hide.
Overview
A psychological thriller about a man who is sometimes controlled by his murder-and-mayhem-loving alter ego.
Ratings
Curator score: 2.5/10
IMDb: 7.2/10
Letterboxd: 3.20/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 56%
Metacritic: 45
TMDB: 6.9/10
Director
Bruce A. Evans
Production
Relativity Media, Tig Productions, Eden Rock Media, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Element Films International
Cast
Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, William Hurt, Marg Helgenberger, Danielle Panabaker, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Reiko Aylesworth, Matt Schulze, Yasmine Delawari, Jason Lewis, Lindsay Crouse, Megan Brown Martinez, Michael Cole, Ross Francis, Kit Gwin, Marcus Hester, Jamie McShane, Laura Bailey, Jon Paul Burkhart
Curator Review
Verdict
A slick, high-concept serial-killer thriller with an appealing central premise and a few strong performances, but it’s uneven in tone and often more interested in subplots than suspense. Worth it if you enjoy pulpy psychological crime stories, less so if you want tight plotting or a truly chilling thriller.
Best for
fans of serial-killer thrillers with a darkly comic edge
viewers who like flawed, high-concept genre movies
people interested in split-personality or inner-demon stories
audiences who enjoy actor-driven crime melodramas
Skip if
you want a tightly paced thriller with consistent tension
you’re put off by melodrama and awkward tonal shifts
you need a deeply realistic procedural
you dislike uneven scripts that lean on camp
Overview
Mr. Brooks has a great hook: a polished family man who is also a serial killer, and an internal companion who egges him on like a wicked conscience. That setup gives the movie a pulpy, almost comic-book energy, and Kevin Costner is an unexpectedly effective fit for the role. William Hurt’s performance is the movie’s sharpest weapon, bringing bite and personality to the film’s most memorable scenes.
Worth noting
The problem is that the movie keeps drifting away from its best ideas. Instead of tightening the psychological screws, it spreads itself across divorce drama, police investigation, and a side plot that feels more distracting than essential. The result is a thriller with flashes of style and invention, but not enough discipline to fully cash in on its premise.
Bottom line
Still, there’s enough here to make it an interesting watch for fans of offbeat crime cinema. It’s not a classic, but it is the kind of flawed studio thriller that can be more entertaining than its reputation suggests, especially if you like your killers conflicted, chatty, and a little absurd.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Josh Lewis (2★) · 223 likes
Legitimately badly directed serial killer thriller that sets up a perverse double life and then basically does nothing with it formally or psychologically in favor of long stretches of Dane Cook as a fanboy who pisses his pants and Demi Moore as the worst detective you've ever seen getting a divorce. Only works in the short bursts of hammed up William Hurt as Costner's hallucinated devil-on-his-shoulder advisor, and a neglected Dexter subplot where his daughter might have inherited his murderous… more Legitimately badly directed serial killer thriller that sets up a perverse double life and then basically does nothing with it formally or psychologically in favor of long stretches of Dane Cook as a fanboy who pisses his pants and Demi Moore as the worst detective you've ever seen getting a divorce. Only works in the short bursts of hammed up William Hurt as Costner's hallucinated devil-on-his-shoulder advisor, and a neglected Dexter subplot where his daughter might have inherited his murderous… more
Andy Summers 🤠 (4.5★) · 124 likes
Serial killer movies have been done to death in the last ten years. How many different variations of the genre can you do? Bruce A. Evans however had something new to offer and with not one but two Oscar winners on surprisingly good form, this was a little gem from 2007.
Set in Portland, "Mr. Brooks" is a wealthy businessman, husband and father to a teenage daughter. Behind the scenes however he is the "Thumbprint killer", a serial killer who… more Serial killer movies have been done to death in the last ten years. How many different variations of the genre can you do? Bruce A. Evans however had something new to offer and with not one but two Oscar winners on surprisingly good form, this was a little gem from 2007.
Set in Portland, "Mr. Brooks" is a wealthy businessman, husband and father to a teenage daughter. Behind the scenes however he is the "Thumbprint killer", a serial killer who… more
Rodrigo Homsi (3.5★) · 95 likes
Mr. Brooks parece o segundo filme de uma trilogia sobre um serial killer, na verdade, sobre um homem de família, empresário bem sucedido que sofre esquizofrenia e conversa com seu alter ego psicótico que o induz a cometer assassinatos.
O que diferencia Mr Brooks de suspenses similares contendo serial killers é a profundidade dos personagens. Mr. Brooks, a filha e a investigadora têm mais que um histórico ou passado, todos eles têm profundidade e complexidades, não necessariamente estão indo do ponto A para o ponto B.
O despertar do pesadelo no final poderia ter sido evitado, faltou coragem.
Travis Lytle (4.5★) · 77 likes
A twisty and satisfying thriller about a man and his murderous side, "Mr. Brooks" is a compellingly layered and riveting piece of work. Blending violence, psychological conflict, and a touch of bleak mirth, the Bruce A. Evans-directed drama provides a deliciously and darkly enjoyable experience.
Starring Kevin Costner as a polished everyman whose murderous proclivites are not those of every man, "Mr. Brooks" follows the man and his devilish conscience as the protagonist attempts to leave deadly leanings in the… more
shookone (1.5★) · 76 likes
Costner re-constructed. an artificial genre design for the bargain table.