An entertaining comedy crime romp from the Coen Brothers

Rating: 8/10 (14 August 2009)

There seem to be no morals in this comedy spy caper from the Coen Brothers. Adultery, blackmail and murder â€“ it's all here wrapped up in an unpredictable and witty dialogue, with an all-star cast and skilled direction and writing.
I'm not normally a big fan of action comedies, which is what this film is billed as. But even I could appreciate the trademark dark humour, and the two leads Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand were simply brilliant, although it's a slight shame about the first 20 minutes before they are introduced, which drags somewhat.
The premise of the film is that two gym employees (Pitt and McDormand) find a disc containing the memoirs of ex-CIA agent Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich). The two embark on a mission to track down said CIA agent, hoping to coerce him into paying them a reward for returning the disk to him.
What follows is a hilarious scene with Brad Pitt at his best as a comedic actor, as the dumb jock Chad attempts to blackmail Osbourne Cox over the telephone, as Malkovich portrays a man who has been woken up in the middle of the night by an idiot perfectly, with a slow boiling rage before exploding.
The plot is ridiculous, unrealistic and filled with holes, but it makes for great entertainment. The film is not overlong either at just 90 minutes in length. As well as an action/crime/comedy the movie also provides us with a character study; examining the selfishness of the characters and their true desires. None of the main characters seem to have a bit of integrity to rub together, and don't expect too many of them to still be alive by the end of the film, just enjoy the ride. And remember...appearances can be deceptive ;)