Burn After Reading
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Movie Reviews of Burn After Reading
Movie Review: A Hilarious Comedy From the Coen Brothers
Summary: 5 Stars
After going "serious" with NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, The Coen Brothers return to the genre of quirky black comedy with this hilarious movie populated with some very stupid people. Interestingly, the actors playing these dodos are usually cast as pretty smart characters.
The plot has to do with a disgruntled ex-CIA analyst (John Malkovich), who decides to write his "tell all" memoirs. His wife (Tilda Swinton), who is having an affair with U.S. Marshal George Clooney, is planning to divorce John and, upon advice of her attorney, she copies various files from her husband's hard drive...including his book notes.
In a roundabout way, the computer disc falls into the hands of two moronic gym employees (Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt), who blackmail Malcovich for its return. When he doesn't pay, they decide to sell it elsewhere.
Events quickly spiral out-of-control as all of the characters' lives converge toward an outrageous climax that is classic Coen Brothers.
The entire cast, which also includes Richard Jenkins and J.K. Simmons, is terrific in their atypical roles, but top honors go to Pitt, who may be playing the dumbest criminal ever portrayed on film.
DVD extras include a trio of "Making of" featurettes.
© Michael B. Druxman
Movie Review: Don't burn after watching
Summary: 5 Stars
Like "Fargo", the Coen Brothers' "Burn After Reading" is one of their occasional productions that combines farce with drama, with neither aspect compromising or diluting the other. While at first glance everyone here strongly defines themselves- in that very American way of looking at things- by their jobs (intelligence agent, gym employee, academic, etc.), the movie eventually makes it clear that we're all ultimately defined by our desires, lusts, and personal quirks. It's these latter aspects of the characters that make them pursue increasingly crazy, though sadly still quite believeable, actions.
Frances McDormand is particularly good, both hilarious and chilling, as the gym employee who will do absolutely anything, without a shred of guilt (or even awareness that she should at least CONSIDER feeling guilty), to secure the cosmetic surgery she desperately wants. Brad Pitt and George Clooney are terrific, too, with both again demonstrating some serious comic chops.
Both light and cutting, "Burn After Reading" is upper-tier Coen Brothers work and not to be missed. The movie looks super sharp on standard DVD and features a handful of interesting behind-the-scenes extras, including generous interview material with both Joel and Ethan Coen.
Movie Review: Wow
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm extremely surprised about all of the negative reviews... well, actually, not really.
Burn After Reading tells a hilarious story of two very naive and absentminded gym workers (Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand) who find a copy of an ex CIA agent's (John Malkovich) Memoir and mistake it for classified government information. This begins the hilarious story of five characters who are each interwoven after one big misunderstanding.
To appreciate this movie, you can't take it too seriously. Lighten up and appreciate the nonsensical and hysterical story directed by none other than the Coen brothers. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and John Malkovich make Burn After Reading one hell of a masterpiece. Each one of their characters are so imperative in telling this story.
At the end of the movie, Instead of sitting there saying, "Huh?" Think back at how each character's indirect actions interweave this hilarious cast and ultimately create such an incredible, absurd mess.
Open your mind and appreciate the subtle humor, fine acting, and all-around great story that Burn After Reading comprises.
Movie Review: Best Coen Bros Film Since Fargo. The Characters Are Probably A Little Too Close To Home For Comfort...
Summary: 5 Stars
Many of the Amazon reviewers of "Burn After Reading" fail to understand, or they resent, if only dimly understood, the point of all Coen Brothers films: to provide an entertainment in which the audience can feel comfortably superior to characters that are in over their heads. All the stylistic and character aspects that many reviewers construe as flaws are in fact the entire point of watching a Coen Brothers film. Where else, other than as a Amazon film reviewer, can one feel so smugly superior and amused at the strivings and shortcomings of others, while celebrating the satisfaction of the bully, with the balm of comedy and farce, than in a Coen Brothers film? Not all of us can be paid to feel that way, some of us have to pay others, like the Coens, to provide us with two hours or so of escape to these wonderful sentiments. "Burn After Reading" is in fact yet another deliciously perceptive jab at the American reverence for and addiction to optimism, excessive self-esteem and non-judgemental behavior. The reason a lot of reviewers don't like this film is because the characters are probably a little too close to home for comfort.Movie Review: Delightfully funny
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm looking forward to every new film by the Coen bros and have not been disappointed, so far. I'm always amazed at their truly exceptional ability to extract the very best out of the actors' talent and pair it with weird darkish comedic script to deliver a delightfully clever and entertaining package. "Burn After Reading" is no exception. Since it hit the cable channels I find myself watching it over and over again. Every time I savor the acting and the - so typical for Coen brothers - weirdly comic plot leading to inevitable disaster, or, at best, to nowhere, all that despite frantic efforts of the involved characters. Even the mighty CIA appears mightily clueless and helpless. The interpolation of different scenes that build up the plot, their duration, subject and timing is the work of pure filmmaking genius.
One con that came like a scratch on a masterpiece audio recording, or like a pothole on freeway, was the inclusion of blasphemous curse at the end of the movie in relation to the name of Jesus Christ. It serves no purpose other than to manifest the moviemakers' anti-Christian hostility.