Mr. Brooks is a 2007 American psychological thriller film directed by Bruce A. Evans starring Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, and William Hurt.

The film follows the eponymous character, a celebrated Portland businessman and serial killer (Costner) who is forced to take on a protégé (Cook) after being blackmailed, and has to contend with his bloodthirsty alter ego (Hurt) who convinces him to indulge his "habit".

Earl Brooks, a respected businessman in Portland, Oregon, leads a secret life as a serial killer.

He follows a meticulous modus operandi, including fastidious preparation, cleansing the crime scene, posing the bodies, locking doors before departing, and even reciting the Serenity Prayer to help himself calm down.

Portland Police Homicide Detective Tracy Atwood is on the case, having trailed the Thumbprint Killer for a number of years.

During her investigation she finds out that another serial killer that she previously caught, Thornton Meeks aka The Hangman, has escaped from prison and has vowed to kill her.

Brooks' daughter, Jane, unexpectedly arrives home and asks for a job at his company, having dropped out of college.

Brooks learns that Atwood, in addition to being stalked by The Hangman, is undergoing a difficult divorce from her husband, Jesse Vialo.

At a cemetery, Brooks tells Smith to kill him and dispose of his body in an open grave, sparing his family the shame of his crimes.

Brooks also cleaned out Smith's apartment, intentionally leaving behind a moving company receipt with a new address written on it.

A shootout ensues, ending when Atwood wounds Meeks, forcing him to murder his girlfriend and then commit suicide.

[6] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone wrote that "the cop on the case, [is] played by Demi Moore with a striking directness that deserved better than being saddled with an absurd back story as an heiress with a fortune-hunting husband.

[11] "'Someone would have kidnapped his family, having no idea who they were dealing with,' Evans notes, pointing out that the kidnappers would not only be contending with the murderous Brooks, but his burgeoning psychopath of a daughter as well."