Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
A psychological thriller about a man who is sometimes controlled by his murder-and-mayhem-loving alter ego.
Mr. Brooks is anchored by a genuinely compelling dual performance from Kevin Costner and William Hurt as the killer and his alter ego, which elevates the material considerably. The premise of a respected businessman secretly being a serial killer is well-worn territory, but the alter-ego device adds a layer of psychological intrigue. The cinematography is competent but unremarkable for the genre. The film juggles too many subplots — the detective storyline and daughter thread feel cluttered — and the ending resolves things in a somewhat unsatisfying, convoluted manner that undermines the tension built throughout.