Mr. Brooks

Mr. Brooks (Kevin Costner) is a pillar of his community and a loving husband and father. He also happens to be a world-class serial killer with an altar ego in the form of William Hurt who urges him to kill and kill often. With his internal struggles played out externally, Brooks is one scary guy. And Costner, in a career-bending role, is at the top of his game, delivering a chilling performance that takes us deep into the mind of a murderer. Hurt, visible only to Brooks, has one of his best roles in recent years, literally getting into the head of evil. The plot revolves around a dedicated but too intense detective (Demi Moore) who is determined to nail this guy once and for all, even as he relishes her attempts and decides to play a fierce game of cat and mouse. Complications arise when a neighbor (Dane Cook) witnesses Brooks' graphic murder of a couple in their bedroom and takes photos, which may—or may not—become prime evidence in Moore's investigation. To say anything else would be to spoil this smart take on the serial killer genre, which Costner and Hurt, through their stylish acting collaboration, turn into a unique and surprising movie experience. This might have been almost perfect, were it not for the incredible plot divergence near the end that nearly nukes the film's credibility. That one misstep aside, Mr. Brooks is still a strong alternative to the current sequelitis plaguing the industry.