Profile
Photos
Comments
Burn After Reading is neither a bad or
great film--it falls in between in the sense that it is entertaining with a
convoluted plot that really doesn't have to be followed. You have a professional
team of actors that bring more to the role than asked with one
exception.
The 95 minutes of serial adultery by many of the characters, a
woman looking for 4 different surgical make overs, the CIA, FBI, dumb,and dumber
people, car chases, violence, etc., goes by pretty quickly and when it is over
you don't feel cheated but you don't remember what you saw a few minutes
afterwards.
Aside from a difficult to follow story
line the pictures doesn't seem to know whether it wants to be a farce, satire or
a comedy--it doesn't succeed at either--Brad Pitt overplays his role so badly it
defines 'ham'. I always find it a pleasure just watching George Clooney. He isn't the best actor in the
world but he always seems to get such pleasure out of every role he does. By the
same token I am not a fan of John Malkovich and am always annoyed just looking
at him let alone watching him act. Richard Jenkins as a love sick puppy
and J.K Simmons as the CIA chief who covers everything up are both more than
adequate.
The female leads Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Elizabeth Marvel hold their own
against the men and have meatier roles which they all handle with the ability
that makes them stars!
Two VERY annoying aspects of the film
are the over use of the 'F' word and
the movie score which at times gets so loud and interfering with what is going
on screen that you want to rip out the sound track.
Burn After Reading isn't one of the Coen's best pictures but it
is far from being their worst. There will be some better and, certainly worse,
pictures this year so if you have a spare 96 minutes this one would be a place
to lay back, relax and enjoy it for what it is.
