ST. LOUIS — When it comes to the movie metric system online, there are two places to look: Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. A place where you can find a number-related rating on a movie, such as rotten or fresh, on the go. Under 60% on RT means it is rotten, while a certain shade of color on Metacritic will spell doom or glory.
But it's not always a happy place to look--just ask "Mr. Brooks." The 2007 thriller, starring Kevin Costner, carries a metascore of 45%, which gives it that alright shade of gold. But this isn't gold on the ceiling; more like average or mediocre. The 55% on RT doesn't garner it a fresh red tomato rating either. The box office performance wasn't great, even if the $20 million budget was recouped by the theater gross ($28 million worldwide take).
There are two reasons why I am telling you all of this. First, there are too many people who don't check or understand these ratings. Last year, a friend asked me to describe "Rotten Tomatoes" to him, a highly popular site that had been online for decades. It's these sites that can persuade, aid, or deter a viewer from a movie. Secondly, I am here to inform you that they were wrong about "Mr. Brooks."
Personally, I blame Dane Cook. The polarizing comedian was a megastar at the time, jumping on the Madison Square Garden stage to various movie sets. It's that time where a comedian is so popular, the only next step for them is sharing the screen with movie stars. As Cook's star dimmed, the hate for him rose online. That right there laid a roadblock in front of Costner's film, even if Cook suffered a pretty gruesome fate in the film.
It's a very good thriller if you allow the sinister nature of the plot to roll over you. Costner is a family man living a double life: an older Dexter Morgan with a wife and extra kiddo in tow. By day, he's a businessman who follows the rules of society; by night, he's the "Thumbprint" killer. The Portland Man of the Year to his family, and the kiss of Crash David-looking death to his victims. Cook played a young soul eager to understand the killing business, a practice Earl Brooks (Costner) showed him in full.
Demi Moore had one of her last credible roles as the lone detective in the city gunning for Brooks' deadlier alter ego, with esteemed character actor Ruben Santiago-Hudson lending fine support as her partner with the cool hat. William Hurt was the devil on Brooks' shoulder, going on these night moves with him and compelling him to continue killing.
"Mr. Brooks" carried a two hour run time, and didn't waste a single minute of it. The cat and mouse game between Brooks and Moore's Detective Atwood escalated perfectly, and Cook's apprentice learns the killer trade. A few surprises abound (Cook getting hit in the head with a shovel), and quite a few nice shootouts take place as well. You aren't completely in the woods about the climax or resolution, but there's plenty of shock in the final five minutes of the movie.
You see, the key relationship in the movie is between Earl and his daughter Jane, played by Danielle Panabaker. Similar to what Dexter fears for his son Harrison is what Brooks worries about his teenage daughter; will she become who he is, or be able to do what he can do? Bruce A. Evans' screenplay (he also directed the film) written with Raynold Gideon left its heaviest blow for the final scene. You won't be ready for it. I wasn't. It makes the movie stand a little taller just out of the sheer courage it took in filming and including it.
What happens will surely cause your tongue to hit the floor before being sucked back into your covered mouth a few seconds later. The best thrillers don't stop thrilling to the end. "Mr. Brooks" did just that, and deserved a sequel. 15 years ago, Costner's pull wasn't the greatest. Now, with a hit television show in "Yellowstone," maybe he can revive this golden and underrated goose of an anti-hero.
We all have some evil in us, but does it ever get out? This film nailed that question, and defied the idea that Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, or any other rating site knows all there is to know about good movies.
