Another smart and well done film by the Coen Brothers... OK, let's face it, these guys are geniuses

Rating: 9/10 (12 September 2008)

I mean, we see a film that has the Coen Brother's name on it, it's usually going to equal gold, these guys have brought us some pretty amazing movies, like Fargo, The Big Lebowski and of course the latest classic that won best picture No Country for Old Men. They now bring us Burn After Reading, basically a movie about how the most average people can be really stupid. Let me put to you this way, imagine the dumb jock who thinks that he's smart and can pull something as far as trying to blackmail the CIA into giving him money, oh yeah, I know, right? But the reason why the Coen Brothers make such memorable films, their odd ball characters, I mean they know how to tell a story, but their characters are what make the film so memorable... just look at Fargo: Marge Gunderson... The Big Lebowski: The Dude... and No Country for Old Men: Anton Chigurh, who takes this movie? Tough call to say right now, but I have to say the underdog in this movie is played by John Malkovich.
The movie starts with CIA agent Osborne Cox who just got canned from his job and he goes home, not exactly heaven, his wife is horrible and cold, she's cheating on him. she's cheating with a man, Harry Pfarrer, who is married and is just cheating with everyone possible, including a woman, Linda Litzke, who along with her gym trainer co-worker, Chad Feldheimer is framing Cox for a CD of his memoirs that has information that the CIA wouldn't like the public to get their hands on. Linda wants money for her cosmetic surgery and gets Chad, who's screws aren't exactly tightened, and they play a game they shouldn't play with the CIA, blackmail.
Burn After Reading is a very smart and intelligent comedy, I was very impressed with how well told it was and the acting is just as usual nothing short of greatness. We have an A-list cast that truly delivers, both Brad and George bring some humor to this technically dark tale, but like I said, the performance I found most impressive was John Malkvich, I haven't seen him in anything in a bit, so it was nice to see him perform and do a fantastic job as well. His scene with Brad Pitt in the car where Brad is trying to play bad cop with him is so memorable and delivers a great laugh. Burn After Reading is definitely a must see in the theater, like I said before, I mean, it's the Coen Brotehrs, need I say more? Well, I'm sure we've forgotten their little mistake by now, like The Lady Killers, so go ahead and enjoy their new treasure Burn After Reading.
9/10