Burn After Reading

Once again, the Coen brothers pulled another ace from their sleeve. Some may find this film a bit unconventional, but that’s what makes it special. In the beginning, not much happens; you mainly get to know the main characters. George Clooney and John Malkovich were the standout performers, continuously outdoing each other throughout the film. The scene with Clooney and Brad Pitt (those who've seen it will understand what I mean) caught me completely off guard, but after that unexpected moment, the film really picked up speed. Frances McDormand also gave a great performance, having already impressed in the Coens' previous work, Fargo. The ending could have been better developed, but it was still satisfactory. I give the film 80%. (16.05.2016)

For a cynic like me, this film is like a beautiful bedtime story. What I admire the most is how you end up liking all the Coens’ characters, even though they’re mostly scumbags and losers. Great! (03.11.2008)

It’s the typical Coen absurdity - an ordinary man thrown into insanely escalated situations - and it brings to mind the best of what the brothers have done to earn their reputation. It’s got a thoughtful plot, clever twists, excellent actors, great direction, and references so apt that Hitchcock is surely smiling in his grave. It's not good enough for the Oscars like last year, but I like this position much better. (14.01.2009)

The Coen’s announce a return to cynical waters. That definitely is good news. But the bad news is, that they are returning to waters that they have already peed into countless times. And this time with an almost non-existent screenplay. But in terms of acting, this is right up my street. And paradoxically it makes it better, because everybody is acting their life out, even though they have nothing really to act. Bizarre. (02.11.2008)

One man's trash is another man's sheer genius. I'm in the latter group... the big names paid off in this case. And surely I needn’t point out that Brad Pitt was cute and George Clooney was incredible... surely everyone saw for themselves. (23.03.2011)

An author once described how he wrote a short story that he needed to quickly deliver to the publisher, but he didn't know how to end it. So he turned to his friends for advice and they told him to just cut it up and go to the pub with them. Because he really wanted to go to the pub, he allowed his characters to be cut up and hurried to the pub. I don't know where the Coen brothers were headed, but I get the feeling that this film was sewn with a needle that was too hot. The concept is attractive and they came up with several interesting characters, but they couldn't utilize their potential anywhere near as much as they deserved. It's unfinished and unbalanced, although it should be emphasized that it's not a bad film at its core. The film has charming moments, like when Frances McDormand bitterly says that she wouldn't be able to make a living as an actress with her body and face, and in Hollywood, they would make fun of her. Also, whenever George Clooney or Brad Pitt appear on screen, it's clear that they see their characters as parodies of their own acting styles and their usual protagonists who made them famous. But what good is all of that when many scenes end unremarkably and the film completely lacks the complexity and precision that made the Coen brothers famous? It's simply not a film in the style of The Man Who Wasn't There, Fargo, or, if we're talking about their comedies, O Brother, Where Art Thou? Overall impression: 60%. (01.03.2009)

Crazy stuff this, with lots of stars acting lots of weirdos. Brad Pitt is almost unrecognizable. He’s probably never played a bigger jerk. Not long ago, I saw him in California and I’m beginning to get the feeling that he gets his kicks by playing extreme roles like this. (01.01.2009)

I just prefer the weaker Coen brothers' movies (Hail, Caesar! is also great!). What connects them all is the absolutely amazing George Clooney starring in them and they have a rich cast, which is complemented by the also great Brad Pitt in Burn After Reading. And as always, they play absolute lunatics, which I really enjoy, and this time I laughed a lot. So, the chase will continue. PS: The gem at the end is of course J.K.Simmons. Yeah, this movie is really about understanding the screenplay with extraordinary actors. (09.11.2017)

A black-humored critique of the American way of life, relationship problems, and secret service and espionage practices, in the typically sensitive fashion of the Coen brothers; cleverly directed and very sprawling. Although there is no lack of wit and the running time is just right, one can't help feeling that it's all pointless, excessively noisy, exacerbated and a bit out of touch with reality. One can understand the need to read between the lines and it's more of a Saturday afternoon diversion where nothing much is resolved, but I’m just not willing to accept the hackneyed feel of it. A pointless thing with a filmmaking rhetoric says nothing and it’s not fun. (22.07.2017)

This was my first encounter with the Coen brothers, and I can’t say if their style is for me just yet. Honestly, the only real fun I had was thanks to Brad Pitt, who nailed his hilariously unhinged character. People say the Coens make unique films, so here’s hoping their other work feels different from this one. 50%. (01.08.2009)

The Coens again! Every time these famous brothers make a comedy, you can bet you won’t easily forget it. Burn After Reading is a typical example. A crazy script full of crazy characters whose actions are so unbelievable that they become pleasantly funny and parodic, but also full of logical missteps and underdeveloped motives. What is made enjoyable by the superb actors is in turn somewhat marred by an attempt at distinctive and wacky humour, the effects of which are sometimes quite clumsy in the Coens' delivery. But here it surprisingly works quite well, especially the first half, thanks to the wacky Pitt and the irresistibly scene-chewing Malkovich; I was incredibly entertained and I wondered whether they would finally get it right. Well, after Pitt's departure, it went downhill and by the end it was confirmed that the Coens had bitten more than they could chew with the script. That said, I can't criticize much this time because it's really well made, there's no part where the humour stagnates, and sometimes it's nice to see a comedy with a slightly more complex and unravelled story in the style of Guy Ritchie. I’m giving it 3*, but I’ve never felt so much like adding a fourth star. (01.01.2013)

The potential that this film could have tapped into was really there somewhere. The premise is very original and almost unpredictable, with one star actor shining alongside another, but as I said, this film didn't say much to me. I'm probably going to repeat myself, but whatever. Brad Pitt is pretty convincing as the nutjob. Overall, I'd rate it about 60%. (08.01.2010)

The Coen Brothers on cocaine, or rather this is what happens when filmmakers who revel in the bizarre and absurd take their creative visions to the extreme. It's not that I didn't laugh (Malkovich is absolutely amazing and probably never said fuck more than once in a row like he did in this film), but outside of the few good gags and parodying performances, the whole thing is pretty much treading water. Take away the cast and all the funny lines and you're left with... well, nothing. As a one-off, it's quite fine, but you'll enjoy it much more as a festival of maximally infantile roles for the stars than as an honest Coen film. [60%] (29.11.2020)

Maybe I'm slightly overrating it, but I was incredibly entertained by the acting performances here, because there was almost no exception to well-done work. This acting group was incredibly refined, and thanks to the great talent of the Coen brothers, a brilliant entertainment was created, dominated by the royal trio of McDormand, Pitt, and Malkovich. I got another taste from the Coens' different barrel, and even though the story was a bit simpler than we are used to from them, it pleased me delicately. I am glad that after a very long search, I captured this film and did not avoid such an excellent, comedic experience. (30.07.2013)