Burn After Reading
Movie details
CIA agent Osbourne Cox is writing his memoirs after getting fired from the CIA. The disc containing the memoirs is discovered in the female locker room at the gym, where it was left by mistake by the secretary of Katie Cox's divorce lawyer. Katie had downloaded the information secretly so her divorce lawyer would have ammunition for their case. Assuming that the disc contains vital classified information, gym employee Linda Litzke and her co-worker Chad Feldheimer decide to sell the info to the highest bidder.
Director Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Stars George Clooney, Frances McDormand
Infrequent strong violence, Coarse language
Our review
The new Coen brothers film "Burn After Reading" sees the brothers return to comedy, albeit a dark one. No doubt Joel and Ethan felt the need to lighten up a little after their last film, the heavy and noirish "No Country For Old Men", which picked them up a swag of Academy Awards.
"Burn After Reading" moves between the improbably connected worlds of the Washington intelligence community, a local gym and internet dating.
The film opens with Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) having a mid-life crises of sorts. He quits his job as a CIA analyst after being told he has a drinking problem and is being demoted; his wife Katie (Tilda Swinton) is having an affair and planning to divorce him; and his in-the-works memoir is stolen by some conniving gym instructors.
Early in the film Treasury agent Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), who is sleeping with Katie, reveals that he's carried a gun for 20 years but never shot it. It's a not-so-subtle hint about where this film is heading - murder, blackmail and infidelity.
"Burn After Reading" has the Coen's characteristic caustic humour and original, vivid characterisations. Every member of this ensemble cast is given the chance to work with a detailed personality: Malkovich and Swinton play to type as cold, snivelling intellectuals, while Pitt plays against type, doing a lovely turn as a dim-witted gym junkie.
Clooney dons the dunce cap for the Coens once again (this is his third film with them) and Frances McDormand is fantastic as ever playing the film's sympathetic heroine searching for love... and the money for plastic surgery.
While the film could perhaps have used a clearer sense of purpose, it's hard to deny that the Coen brothers continue to show a real mastery of their medium. And few will be able to pass up such an all-star cast.
7/10
Monica Tan
In compiling yourTime content, HWW relies upon information supplied by a number of sources. yourTime content is supplied on the basis that while HWW believes that all the information in it will be correct at time of publishing, it does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.
Comments
We welcome the posting of fair and honest comments on all kinds of subjects on ourbrisbane.com. Read our Comments user guidelines to find out more. When posting a comment, you agree to be bound by our terms and conditions.
You must be a member of ourbrisbane.com in order to post a comment. Not a member? Sign up now.
