Review of Burn After Reading (2008) by Jamesb. — 18 Sep 2008

Oh boy. Hmm,...let's see now, I didn't necessarily "dislike" this typically polarizing of a Coen Brothers film, but I hardly "loved" it as well. Like their far superior "No Country For Old Men", this new film is rife with pessimism, misanthropy and palpable mean-spiritedness (despite it being an alleged "comedy"), but unlike "NCFOM", it hasn't a really compelling story (or rather a series of untypically cinematic "things" happening against formula) nor any interesting characters to "care about" (we're passively along for the "let's mock these morons" ride).

It's chock full of unmitigated idiots and hapless dolts (Malkovich notwithstanding, despite his surface perceptions of idiocy all about him) running around oblivious of the likely consequences of their respective actions and the ramifications of other people's reactions.

This movie and its mindbogglingly inept array of twits represent a contemporary microcosm of the idiocy that continues to stymie (for the most part) the actual (i.e., the "mental/psychological progress", and not the more popular and assumed "technological sense") progress of the human race.

This is what the Coen Brothers are lamenting and responding to. To a certain extent, I definitely sympathise with them and their frustration with contemporary culture, but it's too bad they couldn't express it more entertainingly.

J.K.Simmons' final lines of dialogue perfectly sum up the sad situation afflicting early 21st century humanity and the laisse faire attitude of "doing our own thing" unbeknownst to everyone else and the potential adverse consequences therein.

How can anyone learn anything from populated events affecting you indirectly and beyond your control, even if siad events are perpetrated by idiots? God, help us all!....oh yeah, that's right too.