Review of Mr. Brooks (2007) by Jack W — 18 Nov 2010

Here is the problem with high concept films. High concept films are ones in which they take bankable stars, throw in marketable alternate casting, throw together a 25 word summation and go pitch their film.

And for the most part studios make these films. So with Mr. Brooks you have Costner and Moore, two fairly bankable stars. You get Dane Cook, riding a giant wave of popularity and sure to bring in the young audience.

You have a slick, overly stylized story and voilà! Problem is, that slick story? Enough holes in the narrative to drive a truck through. Any likable characters? Not one. Any motives given to what drives the characters? Nope.

Enough side plots and twists to keep the audience thoroughly confused and unable to follow the narrative? Well yes. Really, the characters are completely unlikeable. Costner gives a nice performance and his teaming with William Hurt resonates but other than him being a family man why do we identify with him? Because he is particularly good at killing? And Moore is even worse.

Plot points get dropped out of the blue and the story leaps around aimlessly. I won't even get into the three or four editing errors I saw. Unfortunately Hollywood churns out films like this hoping the packaging disguises what it's giving the audience.

And unfortunately it works quite often. Save yourself the time.