Dir. Bruce Evans, US, 2007, 120 mins
Cast: Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, William Hurt, Marg Helenberger, Dane Cook
Review by Michelle Moore
Academy Award winner Costner stars as Earl Brooks, a man with a murderous alter ego who must continue to keep his two incompatible worlds from integrating. The alter ego is an instigating personality who encourages the conservative family man to act on his malevolent impulses. Attempting to catch the murderer is Detective Atwood (Moore).
With previous directing experience including Stand By Me and Jungle 2 Jungle, both very different to this film, Evans is able to handle this commercial flick like a pro. The script is mostly succinct with some clever twists. The narrative leads the viewer to feel they have stepped in half way through, and while resolving some of the back story there are plenty of questions to keep you guessing till the end. Evans structures his serial-killer thriller like the middle act of a longer story, which is a bold move taking us down any number of alleys.
The film occasionally veers off into Atwood's private life concerning her ex-husband and an escaped prisoner and is probably one of the weaker strands. Moore does, however, do a fine job as detective, with her ‘I’ll do it myself’ attitude. Brooks interacting with his alter ego, who is manifested for the audience (in the shape of an excellent William Hurt) but is really only in his head, looks like a very tricky concept to pull off but director and actors rise to the challenge with aplomb.
Evans deftly builds the suspense and, coupled with atmospheric music in just the right places, the movie is well made in all its aspects. This dark and disturbingly psychological thriller could give Costner his first hit in years.
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