There's pretty much no way I would have seen this first-run if it hadn't been the second movie at the drive-in.
The expectations are lower for a second movie. So it wasn't half bad.
I can't remember a movie I've liked Kevin Costner in since his Dances with Wolves days. This time, thankfully, he played against type as an uptight, buttoned-down, white-bread box factory owner ... who just happens to be a serial killer.
But he doesn't *want* to be a serial killer. So he goes to AA meetings and prays a lot, and makes pots in his crazy-elaborate pottery studio. Then he kills people.
William Hurt gets the best part in the movie as Brooks' murderous alter-ego. And he appears to be having a grand time making smart-ass comments and urging Brooks to commit some damage. He's funny and wicked, and this would have been a very dreary flick without him.
And then there's Dane Cook. I despise Cook when he attempts to do comedy. He is possibly the most un-funny person ever to get famous doing stand-up, and I have no idea why people watch his shit. But here he's doing stalker creepy, and it works. Maybe his future is in acting ... maybe he's a creepy stalker for real. Only time will tell.
The plot? Overly elaborate. Demi Moore's "woe is me, I'm a millionaire cop" bit was unnecessary and tiresome. At times the script reminded me of a film school exercise to see how many random elements (serial killer no. 2, dumb daughter, phalandering ex-husband, skanky lawyer) could be tied up in one overarching plot.
My B.S. meter was going off constantly (How could Brooks' wife be *that* oblivious? Was she on drugs?) but if you ignored all that, it was a fun, twisty little play for people who like to root for the bad guy.
If Costner stops trying to play the nice guy all the time, he just might have a career again.
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