"Burn After Reading"- A brilliant film that is primarily about... absolutely nothing!

Rating: 9/10 (27 September 2008)

To say "Burn After Reading" has very little plot is an understatement. In fact, upon closer observation, that seems to be the exact point that the Accadamy-Award winning directors the Cohen brothers are going for. Despite all the chaos, cursing and violence in the film, it is all for almost no reason whatsoever. Well, actually, the film is about something, and it isn't something the previews will tell you about- it is about Frances McDormand's character trying to get plastic surgery so she can "reinvent" herself. That's about it for the actual plot.
And to a lesser extent, you could say it is about a love "octogon" (I don't say "triangle" because it doesn't have enough sides for this film) between the characters portrayed by John Malkovich (an ex-CIA agent who is becoming increasingly erratic), George Clooney (An oversexed agent who is cheating on numerous women- including his wife- simultaneously) and Tilda Swinton. (Malkovich's wife who wants a divorce- she is sleeping with Clooney and apparently wants to be with him.)
Oh, and you get Brad Pitt in a scene-stealing performance as a very enthusiastic fitness instructor named "Chad", who doesn't know how to stop even when he is in way over his head.
Yeah, the movie is about those guys too. It is also about Tilda Swinton's character copying all of Malkovich's files onto a CD so she can nail him financially with a divorce AND financial claims. And the CD just so happens to get lost, and unbeknown-st to her, it also (accidentally) has some "highly classified" information on it. Oh, and the beginnings of Malkovich's memoirs. Yeah, it is about that too.
And how Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt find the CD and want to use it to get a "good Samaritan" reward from Malkovich by blackmailing him with the information on the CD. The "good Samaritan" reward will of course go to McDormand's surgeries. (Quite funny is the first interaction between the three, over a phone, with Brad Pitt in a very confused state being verbally destroyed by Malkovich.)
Oh, and McDormand tries to give the CD to a Russian embassy for a reward after a disastrous meet-up with Malkovich; Clooney is working on a "mystery" project in his basement that turns out to be nothing you could ever expect; etc.
You will notice by now two things-
1) I am using the actor's names as opposed to the character's names. I am just doing this to make it easier to understand. and... 2) This movie is the most convoluted thing out there!
Yes, and oddly enough, despite its level of convulusion, it is very easy to understand and enjoy. And even relate to a little bit. Just like real life, it doesn't have to make sense, nor does it need a real purpose.
Basically, what it boils down to is this- it is a film about characters and their motivations and reactions to one-another. And in that sense, it is very realistic. The events in the movie, maybe not so much, but the characters are fleshed out perfectly.
This definitely is the perfect follow up for the Cohen brothers to the somber and at times almost disturbingly low-key "No Country for Old Men." That was a film to make you think the deepest of thoughts- THIS is a film to sit back and enjoy, and maybe think a little bit after it is said and done.
And although it can't quite reach the level of perfection seen in Cohen pictures like "No Country..." or "Fargo", this one comes pretty darned close. In fact, as the last scene ends, you will realize this is the closest to perfect you can get without crossing that sacred thresh-hold.
In other words, this is an excellent movie, with very minimal flaws, about realistic characters in a bizarre situation. (Believe me, I didn't even get to any of the sub-characters, including the brilliant J.K. Simmons!) This gets a very good 9 out of 10 for me.