The main thing about Mr. Brooks that I love is that it is so convincing in its portrayal of the internal workings of a certain sort of mind, almost as if it were an inside story. Mr. Brooks is a character who is completely unsuspecting to anyone observing him, yet he is a completely different person beneath the skin. He is much more complex than a lot of mainstream audiences will realize upon first viewing. He has deep feelings for his family, which means he's capable of deep feelings. Yet he is completely aware of his manipulative and destructive capabilities and intermittently cannot help himself and must take advantage of them. I think the script is a truly brilliant rendering of a very realistic sort of personality that is so secretive that they can be found throughout the range of all human activity.

Kevin Costner having always been one of the most wooden actors in contemporary movies, I am very impressed that he hit the nail on the head with this very challenging and multi-layered character of Mr. Brooks, and in understanding him completely knew just how much of him to reserve for William Hurt's share, Hurt playing a figure nonexistent to anyone in the film other than Costner, representing the deepest, darkest thoughts of Mr. Brooks. The script and direction are very clear-cut and discern the dialogue between Costner and Hurt as the same character and not a split personality.

Demi Moore is affecting in her portrayal of a cop whose personal life calls upon the part of a personality that would urge with anger towards thoughts of murder and is able to suppress them. It's maybe my favorite of all the performances I've seen of hers. There is lots of subtext in what appears to be a token cop role.

The most interesting casting choice, aside from the impressive comebacks by two aging former box-office magnets, is of comedian Dane Cook as a blackmailing witness to one of Mr. Brooks's murders. His character is a creative blend of voyeuristic and eagerly putzy, and Cook pulls it off very becomingly.

As well as being a very gripping and unpredictable celebration of evil, I think a lot of extra credit is due to this film especially for holding its own at the box office during a summer of conglomerate box-office hogs like the second sequels to Pirates of the Caribbean, Shrek, Ocean's Eleven, and Spider-Man when it is actually very edgy and takes a lot of risks as a mainstream film.

MR. BROOKS is a cold-hearted serial killer film with Kevin Costner playing a happily married businessman by day and a serial killer by night. This makes him rather hard to root for, and unlike AMERICAN PSYCHO this film doesn't really have much of a satisfying plot, making it an average watch overall. Some parts of it are really well handled, with William Hurt's id character really nicely conceived, but the whole apprentice storyline with the uninteresting Dane Cook character is a misstep. Costner is once again excellent but the film itself fails to engage the senses like it really should. It's interesting, but hardly gripping.

Earl Brooks (Kevin Costner) is a highly respected businessman with a loving wife Emma (Marg Helgenberger) and daughter Jane (Danielle Panabaker). He is haunted by his alter ego Marshall (William Hurt) who compels him to kill as the Thumbprint Killer. It's been 2 years since the last murder and he's been in AA. In the latest killing, he is photographed by peeping Tom Mr. Smith (Dane Cook) who wants the rush of joining in on more killings. Det. Tracy Atwood (Demi Moore) is investigating but she is struggling with a messy divorce and violent escaped criminal Thorton Meeks who has vowed revenge.

I really like the Costner-Hurt pairing in this. They are cast against type as the serial killer and there is real chemistry about the alter ego relationship. I think both men have the same compelling leading man gone bad vibe. I don't like Dane Cook normally but I like him for this role. He's a douche killer wannabe and I think he fits this personality very well. He's creepy. He's annoying. He's pathetic. He's perfect for the role. I could do without Demi Moore and her messy divorce. It's not a big problem but it's piling on a little too many story elements. There are just a few too many main characters and could use a bit of trimming.

The biggest problem is director Bruce A. Evans and his lack of good noir visual style. This needs to be tighter, more tense, even darker, and a grand cinematic vision. It has the feel of a hard boiled thriller from the 90s. It just doesn't get to the same level as some of the great dark serial killer movies. Also I don't like the dream ending. It feels like a waste of time. If the film wants to bring Jane into this, it should be done for real.