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Burn After Reading
USA 2008, 105 minutes
Dir. Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Rating: [R16]
Genres: Comedy, Suspense/Crime / Screwball
Aroview: Appealing 'dunderhead' comedy from the Coen Brothers that plots an elaborate caper for its A-list ensemble cast, who relish the chance to caricature their own screen personas.
Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand dumb down to play gym instructors who attempt to blackmail bad-tempered ex-CIA beauracrat John Malkovich, whose ice queen wife Tilda Swinton is having an affair with multiple adulteror George Clooney. After the Oscar-lauded NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, this might be 'Coen-lite', but their dialogue always snaps without being too smug, and its too just savvy and sardonic to be written off as mere fluff.
Member Reviews
Average rating 
(Very Good). Showing 1-6 of 6 member reviews.
4 stars (Very Good) A black comedy from the Coen brothers, Burn After Reading puts together a hilarious cast, with every actor providing laughs in their own way. Pitt and McDormand in particular are brilliant as naive gym coworkers way over their heads in this conspiracy. ~Tom H
5 stars (Exceptional) Doesn't have No Country's serious gravity - but it's just as savvy a piece of film-making, and the entire cast (right down to Richard Jenkins and JK Simmons) are pricelessly funny. Biggest crack-up I can remember having in ages. ~fairbrother
4 stars (Very Good) It isn't as seemlessly brilliant as other Coen films, but it is still a hugely enjoyable and wonderfully acted black comedy. ~Wizzums
5 stars (Exceptional) ~mvvm
4 stars (Very Good) Terrific script backed up with the right casting & from major to small parts they deliver their lines to effect. The quality of the support cast makes a difference & the scenes featuring JK Simmons with David Rasche are classic. Another Cohen Bros ripper. ~Tubbs
2 stars (Good Try) ~Anonz
Close Relatives
- Extract (2009)
- Big Lebowski, The (1998)
- Fargo (1996)
- Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
- Big Nothing (2006)
- Fay Grim (2006)
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