By Brandon Nolta

Killing people is not much of a hobby if you’re into part-time pursuits. According to most of the serial killer media of the last 20 years, if you’re into shuffling people off this mortal coil, you better be rich, off society’s grid, or have a whole lot of time on your hands, because repeatedly killing people takes some planning and a whole lot of attention to detail. How Dr. Lecter managed to see patients, keep up on current literature and still find time to prepare gourmet meals is a logistical question "Hannibal" creator Thomas Harris never considered.
   
Earl Brooks (Kevin Costner) may have the answer. Sure, he’s a successful businessman in Portland, Ore., but he’s also the notorious Thumbprint Killer, a serial murderer who has managed to keep his hand out of the homicide jar for two years. But, his alter ego Marshall (William Hurt) doesn’t like being kept in too long, and soon enough, the two go for a spin. Unfortunately, an intensely annoying Peeping Tom with a camera (Dane Cook) gets photographic evidence of Mr. Brooks’ activities, and soon he’s blackmailing our man Brooks for a piece of the action, while a determined cop (Demi Moore) circles ever closer.
   
This description may sound routine, but it’s just the setup for MR. BROOKS, one of the more involving -- and oddball -- serial killer flicks of the last few years. Unlike some big-screen repeat offenders, Mr. Brooks is pretty well in control of his mania; he blends into society extremely well, has no particular fetishes outside of his unfortunate homicide habit and hasn't the faintest whiff of suspicion attached to him, because he’s that good. Costner has always been underrated as an actor -- overshadowed by his operatic approach to filmmaking and the resultant behind-the-scenes stories. But, in this role he truly shines, showing that the accolades he’s earned in recent years as a supporting actor also hold true in his leading roles. He plays Brooks as a careful, highly intelligent man who recognizes his addiction (one conversation with Marshall takes place at an AA meeting) and struggles with it, yet can still revel in his activities and their payoff. Costner makes Brooks humble, endearing and simultaneously creepy, a feat Bull Durham pulls off with a smile.

Costner doesn’t carry the parade alone, however. William Hurt turns in a nuanced showing as a figment of Brooks’ id that acts more like a close friend or big brother than the engine of Brooks’ madness you might expect; Demi Moore invests her role as Det. Atwood, a cop facing desk work and an overzealous ex trying to scam bucks from her, with equal dread and a low-key mix of competence and frustration. Sadly, for those of you who remember her earlier films such as STRIPTEASE, Ms. Moore has no nude or even close-to-nude scenes in this film. Even Dane Cook, who manages to annoy in most everything I’ve seen him in, does a good job as a clueless voyeur who finds himself in over his head trying to blackmail Mr. Brooks. Refreshingly, there are no obvious weak spots in the acting, although Marg Helgenberger is not given nearly enough to do (she had the same problem in IN GOOD COMPANY).

MR. BROOKS is one of those rare films where the filmmakers seemed to be aiming a little higher than the teenage demographic. The blood and gore is relatively minimal, and while nobody could accuse the script of being Shakespearean, the writers did a solid job of balancing the day-to-day concerns with the more outré elements of the script (Does murder run in families? Is Marshall real? Doesn’t anyone notice that Brooks talks to himself a whole lot?). Part of this success stems from the detailed, meticulous approach Brooks takes to his compulsion and his life in general (his attention to forensic detail is nicely underlined by Helgenberger’s presence, taking time off from CSI), but the strength of the film lies in the characterizations as played by Hurt, Moore and especially Costner. Rumor has it that MR. BROOKS is the opening film in a planned trilogy, which may not be such a good idea, considering how Hollywood tends to pooch three-peats in terms of quality and intelligence, but if Costner’s on board, I’d take a flyer on it.