Review of Burn After Reading (2008) by Brian K — 13 Apr 2013

The Cohen Brothers are some of the best filmmakers of our time. When a movie like this comes along, that's when I forget about all the shitty movies I keep having to deal with and truly count myself lucky at the great movies that I'll be able to say I saw in the theater when first released. 'Burn After Reading' is just as good as their other films and unfortunately, being released right after 'No Country for Old Men' will have underwhelming effect on critics.

Don't compare this movie to 'No Country', there isn't any point in doing so. It's a completely different style and interpretation of film. 'Burn After Reading' is funny, macabre, shocking, and encompasses it's story with precision and confusion. The Coen Brothers have a particular brand of humor, and if you don't get it, you'll likely not be very interested. For instance, I saw this film with two friends. Myself and one of my friends were laughing constantly through out the entire movie. The third friend laughed maybe once or twice. It's in that 'Sweeney Todd' area where people either get it, or they don't.

The story is completely impossible to describe and it would be a sin to even talk to you about it. I can say that it's nothing like what you'd expect it to be. The characters are so zany and fun, even though, really, they're real people. Everybody knows a character like Harry(George Clooney). Everybody knows a person like Linda(Francis McDormand). Every body in the movie is utterly likeable, with the exception of Osbourne Cox(John Malkovich), an alcoholic claiming not to be an alcoholic.

The pivotol character to the film is Chad, played excellently by Brad Pitt. I can probably say that this is by far my favorite performance from Pitt. Chad is the guy you know from work who is constantly drinking Gatorade and listening to his I-Pod. Chomping on his gum, Chad has the plan, Linda has the guts. Chad is most likely gay, but the film never addresses this.

I really cannot tell you anything else. The story is too effed up for me to give you the slightest hint at it. I must say, though, that I felt bad for poor Tilda Swinton. The other characters are constantly doing stuff, and she just kind of sits around the whole movie. She gives a great performance, though, as always.

No movie this year has had the star power of this film. No movie this year has had the guts of it's directors to make a story so implausable, yet plausable. It's one of the best. Who cares if it's not the same film as 'No Country for Old Men'? Good. I'm glad the Cohen brothers are consistently inconsistent. I love them for it, and I love them for giving me great movies. 'Burn After Reading' is a great movie.