A sizzling comedy is another fine Coen picture

Rating: 9/10 (10 February 2009)

Osbourne Cox (Malkovich) quits his job at the CIA and puts his thoughts onto a disc, which is picked up by two gym trainers.
The imagination and bizarreness of the Coen brothers will never be appreciated enough and this creative realistic look at the CIA mixed with mid life crises is right up there with Lebowski and Fargo.
Opening from space and zooming down right into the heart of a CIA building will surprise even the hardcore Coen fans and the directional magic the pair conjure never lets up as a camera stays at foot height for the opening sequence, following Malkovich into his destination. The immediate interpretation of the organization is stereotypical sensation, a cold hearted bunch of men in suits telling their man his day is up. Malkovich's reaction is a marvellous turn of anger and amazement and the "In the line of Fire" actor never lets his guard down for the entire film.
When we see a group of A list celebrities collaborate it will either be superb or it will fail, and here, everyone is superb. Pitt's s*** stirring Chad is a comic revelation next to Swinton's bitchy stuck up Katie. McDormand may not be as strong as her pregnant Police Chief Marge from Fargo but you will laugh along with her all the way through, and her reaction to seeing Clooney's invention will be with you long after viewing. Speaking of Clooney (Ocean's Eleven) he plays a somewhat significant role to the proceedings. His uninvolved protagonist Harry becomes the King of the chess board at the end of the film, and as we get there, we are seeing a modern day male player, filled with that cheesy charm that you simply have to respect. The star of the show is Pitt who seems to get better and different with every film and that in itself is not easy to do, especially after performances like a certain Tyler Durden. J.K Simmons must be the most under-appreciated actor of the 21st century; he is in all of 2 scenes and has the most memorable impact on the forever twisting narrative.
When looking back, Burn after Reading is hard to cement into a certain genre. The obvious dealings with CIA and the illegal activities fall into the crime, but though a fast ending is not sharp enough to be categorized into a thriller. Not to mention the gritty realism gives the drama and the characters deliver the comedy.
Sharp and gritty, this 2008 Coen picture is equally as impressive as their previous releases and with such a brilliant ensemble of actors, it is unmissable