Minor Coen, but a worthy film in every way

Rating: 9/10 (12 September 2008)

Brun After Reading is the kind of film that feels like a breath of fresh air at this time of year. Right after Labor Day, when studios dump all of their left-over garbage into theaters in preparation for Oscar season, comes a film both brilliantly original and character-driven. The characters and the film delightfully ludicrous plot drive this one forward as was the case in such previous endeavors as Fargo and The Big Lebowski. The film begins when Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich, in a role only he could pull off), a CIA analyst quits his job and begins to write his memoirs (which really interest no one). His wife (Tilda Swinton, cold as ice) is secretly having an affair with Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney, who here mixes paranoia and suave womanizer stylings perfectly) who also gets involved with Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand), a gym employee who desperately seeks to get a series of plastic surgeries to fix her looks, which make her miserable. Litzke and Chad Feldheimer (Bbrad Pitt, who steals the show, as expected) find a CD at the gym that they learn belongs to Cox ad which they believe is filled with sensitive government information. They proceed to attempt to blackmail him. Richard Jenkins is also very good as their boss who unsuccessfully tries to convey to Linda the fact that he is in love with her. There are a long series of twists and turns to this film, which is what makes it so interesting from start to finish. I really enjoyed it. It's not as funny as some of the previous films, especially Fargo, but the jokes that hit hit hard, and the characters are downright fascinating. The real show-stopping scenes for me were the ones featuring J.K. Simmons as the head of the CIA. Those parts were hilarious, and I'll let you discover them for yourself. The only thing I should mention as a real disappointment is the lack of Roger Deakins's cinematography. He has collaborated with the Coens since Miller's Crossing, and his absence is made obvious by the fact that this film's look is a lot less appealing and impressive than those with Deakins as the Director of Photography. A small bother. I really recommend this film, especially since it is the first great new film that's been out in the past few weeks. i hope you enjoy it as much as I did.