Mr. Brooks - Der Mörder in Dir

Kevin Costner in einer seiner besten Rollen – nicht nur in letzter Zeit, sondern allgemein. Ein redlicher und anständiger Familienvater, ein Geschäftsmann, bisschen langweilig… Und ein Mörder. Ein niederträchtiger Schuft, würde man denken. Dann dürfte aber Mr. Brooks - Der Mörder in Dir nicht das Drehbuch haben, das er hat. Die schlau geschriebene Geschichte stellt ihn vor allem als kranken Schizophrenen dar, der versucht, mit seinem schlechteren Ich (der perfekte William Hurt) zu kämpfen. Ohne Erfolg. Wenn sich also Brooks sorgfältig vorbereitet und dann "loslegt“, tut er einem fast leid. Und wenn nach ein paar Minuten eine Figur auftaucht, die noch schlimmer als er ist? Und dann noch eine? Und wenn Brooks Familienprobleme löst, die nicht ganz gewöhnlich sind? Man kann wirklich nicht sagen, dass er ein typischer Mörder ist, dem man von Anfang an nur das Schlimmste wünscht. Mr. Brooks - Der Mörder in Dir hat mich am meisten an Falling Down - Ein ganz normaler Tag erinnert, was für ihn spricht. Wegen des Finales habe ich mich entschieden, meine viereinhalb Sterne aufzurunden. (27.01.2012)

Kevin Costner is in top form after and his serial killer role is magnificent, albeit the phenomenal William Hurt is better. It’s too bad that the script allowed the incredibly disruptive and unnecessarily drawn-out storyline of the police officer's private life to be a part of its perfectly tuned and running mechanism. Otherwise, formally, the film is surprisingly quite a content-conscious effort from the guy who wrote Cutthroat Island. Now he’s been forgiven because the chilling murders and the perfect hallway shootout will resonate in my head for a hell of a long time. (23.12.2007)

Good acting can't save everything. What Mr. Brooks lacks is a brisker script and a bit more interesting direction. The inspiration in Dexter is evident, but even though Kevin Costner and co are playing in a lower league, it's a pretty good watch. (23.07.2007)

A charismatic serial killer is a safe bet for a movie. Kevin Costner no longer has the same status as he did in the 90s, and Mr. Brooks is one of the more promising attempts to return to the limelight. He convincingly plays his killer for pleasure, and if one villain wasn't enough, the screenwriter also uses the hallucinogenic alter ego of Mr. Brooks in a stylish performance by William Hurt. The dialogue of the main character with his uncompromising and straightforward self is ultimately the most interesting part of the whole movie. The script is somewhat overdone, but what can you do, in today's inflation of movie titles, you simply have to grab attention somehow. The biggest disadvantage for Mr. Brooks is the absence of an opponent at his level - unfortunately, Demi Moore is not that. Not so much because of her dull acting, but rather because of the script, which doesn't give her as much space and opportunity. Overall impression: 60%. (16.11.2013)

A cute movie with lots of funny lines and with a well-thought out and occasionally surprising story. Kevin Costner is back from the swamp of below-average movies and his Mr. Brooks is simply great. The only one in this movie to give a better performance is his "dark passenger" William Hurt, whispering at and egging on "man of the year" to do his dirty deeds. (18.07.2008)