Mr. Brooks (2007)

Director:

Bruce A. Evans

Writers (WGA):

Bruce A. Evans (written by) &
Raynold Gideon (written by)

Release Date:

1 June 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

There's something about

Plot:

A psychological thriller about a man who is sometimes controlled by his murder-and-mayhem-loving alter ego.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Killer | Alter Ego | Fingerprint | House

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Kevin Costner	...	Mr. Earl Brooks
Demi Moore	...	Det. Tracy Atwood
Dane Cook	...	Mr. Smith
William Hurt	...	Marshall
Marg Helgenberger	...	Emma Brooks
Ruben Santiago-Hudson	...	Hawkins
Danielle Panabaker	...	Jane Brooks
Aisha Hinds	...	Nancy Hart
Lindsay Crouse	...	Captain Lister
Jason Lewis	...	Jesse Vialo
Reiko Aylesworth	...	Sheila - Jesse's Lawyer
Matt Schulze	...	Thorton Meeks
Yasmine Delawari	...	Sunday
Traci Dinwiddie	...	Sarah Leaves
Michael Cole	...	Atwood’s Lawyer

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence, some graphic sexual content, nudity and language.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Argentina:16 | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA | USA:R (certificate #43365) | Norway:15 | Finland:K-15 | UK:18 | Ireland:16 | Portugal:M/16 (re-rating on appeal) | France:-12 | Chile:14 | South Korea:18 | Portugal:M/18 (original rating) | Brazil:18 | Spain:18 | Mexico:C | Germany:18 | Singapore:M18 | Ireland:18 (DVD rating) | Japan:R-18 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Portland, Oregon, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Zach Braff was originally cast as Mr. Smith.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: There is a scene where signs for US highways 79 and 80 are prominently shown. Neither highway is anywhere near Portland, Oregon. (Coincidentally, Portland did at one time contain a segment of Interstate 80N, but it is doubtful that the filmmakers planned this to cover the goof; Interstate 80N was in no way related to US highway 80, and it was re-designated as Interstate 84 many years ago). Both US Route 79 and 80 both run through Louisiana, where most of this movie was filmed.

Quotes:

Mr. Earl Brooks: [talking about Jane] Well, we were right. She was hiding something.
Marshall: Pregnant's not all of it. She's hiding something, bigger. Something much bigger.
Mr. Earl Brooks: You think so?
Marshall: I know so... and so do you.

Movie Connections:

References E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Soundtrack:

Transgressions

Unusual, creative storyline and scripting, exceptionally well done.

The real star of this drama is the story, and the script. Costner's portrayal of a highly complex, sometimes tortured, character is superb in that he is seemingly always in control, always one step ahead of the challenges. One of the best stories in some time, this one covers all of the bases in a satisfying way, keeping the viewer completely involved from start to finish. There are just enough plot twists, blended seamlessly with just the right amount of predictability, to make this story completely believable, and totally satisfying.

Mr. Brooks, Mr. Citizen, is a soft spoken, highly intelligent man of the community, always in control of his job and family, despite the adversities he faces throughout the movie. Very enjoyable is the intricacy, detail, and discipline he is able to maintain throughout the chaos that befalls him throughout the entire plot. His total control of all of the challenges almost makes him a super hero in terms of skill and control in the performance of his self assigned, gruesome tasks at hand. The blending of his alter-ego, bad conscience side, Marshall, is seamlessly accomplished in this psychological escapade, to the point that one almost has to root for "them". Marshall, although the psychopathic side of Brooks, is almost likable, in a twisted sort of way. The ongoing dialog between the two is perfect, in that almost everyone can relate to conscience issues at some point in their lives.

The added sub-plots concerning detective Demi Moore, the would be wanna be killer Mr. Smith, and the ex-gold digging husband and his attorney, are extra, intriguing elements that are very well done. Though told with a considerable dark tonality because of the theme, one finds himself cheering for Mr. Brooks and his incredible ability as a master craftsman. Ironically, one can also cheer for the detective that is out to capture him.

If you are ready for a story that is intriguing, suspenseful, gripping, and present day, then this movie is a good place to start. Costner, Moore, Cook, and Hurt are all splendid. Each one is intense, tormented, fun, and believable in his respective role. Another positive feature about the storyline, and it's conclusion, is that it lends itself to, perhaps, a very interesting sequel potential. Kudos to the directors, producers, and entire cast.