review

Rating: 7/10 (15 December 2013)

The 2008 film Burn After Reading is written, produced, edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, is made up of an all-star ensemble cast. It takes place in Langley, Virginia in the early 21st century and although there is no real starring role in the film the entire cast does a great job performing.The Coen brothers are known for their comedies, and this film has some gritty scenes that will definitely get your attention.
The plot involves two unconnected threads that become intertwined throughout the film. The theme is Man vs. Himself, and the main characters show what each of their weaknesses is throughout the film. It begins with John Malcovich, as Osbourne "Ozzy" Cox, "quitting" his job as a CIA analyst because his superiors know he is drinking too much. This leads him to write a tell all memoir about his life and career. Once his wife Katie, TIlda Swinton, finds out about him leaving his job she takes her chance to get a divorce and continue her affair with Harry Pfarer, played by George Clooney. Her attorney advises her to get her husband's financial information and other files, which she puts onto a CD.
While leaving Hardbodies Gym, the disc is left on the floor by a law firm employee. Chad Feldheimer, played by Brad Pitt, is a personal trainer, obsessed with body image. He finds the disc and shows it to his co-worker Linda Litzke. Frances McDormand as Linda Litzke, then mistakenly thinks that the bank records and cryptic first draft of Ozzy's memoir on the disc is classified government information. Tracking it back to Osbourne, Linda and Chad decide to give the disc back, but for a price. Linda is desperate for plastic surgery and thinks that this could be the answer. Although Ozzy does not accept their offer, so they then turn the disc over to the Russian Embassy, promising there is more information to follow in return for monetary compensation. The problem is they do not have any more information, so Chad plans to break into Osbourne's house and retrieve more information.
Harry Pfarrer, a sex crazed US Marshall, is entangled in many extra-marital affairs with women he's met online, Linda Litzke being one of them. This is how the two story lines connect. While taking his daily run, Harry has also noticed that someone in a dark car seems to be following him everywhere. Meanwhile, Ozzy returns home to find the locks are changed and his bank accounts are whipped out, his wife has making her divorce plans known. He is left to sleep on his boat. Chad is on his mission and once he sees the house is empty he breaks in to the Cox's house. Unfortunately Harry returns to the house to find Chad in the closet, and shoots, kills, and disposes of him, thinking he is the spy that has been following him. He later finds out that his wife has hired a private detective to follow him, because she too is ready for a divorce. He is not the only one having an affair. Harry and Linda met online and meet, later in a discussion she mentions her friend, Chad in missing. After more discussion Harry realizes it is the man he shot, and accuses Linda of being a spy as well.
Richard Jenkins, as Ted, knows of Linda's need for more information being sympathetic he decides to break in the Cox's house as well, and look for more information. Ozzy, mad and drunk breaks into his house and finds Ted there. Ozzy shoots him and Ted stumbles out of the house, Ozzy then beats him with a hatchet in the middle on the day, right in front of his house.
At CIA headquarters, Ozzy's former manager and his Director, J.K. Simmons, try to understand what happened. Chad and Ted are dead; Ozzy is in a vegetative state and dying after being shot by an agent while attacking Ted. Harry was arrested trying to board a flight to Venezuela, but the CIA Director suggests letting him go. Linda agrees to cooperate in return for the CIA financing her plastic surgery.
The central theme of the film is Man vs. Himself. Nothing leads to a man's demise like man himself, and each on the main characters are plagued by one problem or another. Harry struggles with lust, and the need for sexual relationships. He also thinks he is being followed and has major paranoia. Ozzy struggles with his addiction to alcohol, which leads to him losing everything that is important to him. He too deals with paranoia, and that someone is watching. Linda has major body image issues and constantly feels the need to improve herself. She is willing to do almost anything to get the plastic surgeries that she feels she needs. Chad is obsessed with his body image as well, he devotes most of his time to perfecting his body. Ted is a good man, although he is to kind, and sympathetic. This will end up getting him killed. The camera angles in Burn After Reading opens with a theological shot; a Google-Earth's eye view of North America that rapidly zooms in on Langley, Va. The film begins and ends with the Google Maps view of the Earth. There are an abundance of low angles and you are often looking up at the characters. The dark scenes display good shadow detail and an inky black level. This is very important because of the technique Burn After Reading was shot. Things in the foreground tend to look extremely detailed, while the back becomes soft. Osbourne's boat and when Harry is jogging, in the first dusk scene, shows great evidence of the quality transfer.