Quirky acting performances but not living up to its potential

Rating: 6/10 (22 July 2018)

Burn After Reading is a quirky spy parody directed by renowned Coen Brothers and starring a set of outstanding actresses and actors like Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich, George Clooney and Brad Pitt. The confusing story revolves around a retired CIA analyst who is going through a divorce. A disc with information about his finances and memoirs ends up in the hands of two idiotic gym employees who try to blackmail him. Soon, CIA agents, Russian double-agents and private detectives are watching and being watched around the analyst's house when things go berserk.
The premise of the movie is quite intriguing. The story is original and filled with surprising twists and turns while also criticizing and making fun of American bureaucracy, cinema and society. However, this rather short movie takes too much time to introduce a bloated set of characters. The characters are often quite flat, predictable and stereotypical. Later on, the story develops draggingly and only the final thirty minutes quicken up the pace. The conclusion to the movie feels somewhat aborted and is mostly told and not shown which is a sign for limited filmmaking in my book. The worst thing however is that this parody just isn't funny. I'm not the most serious guy and sure like to laugh from time to time but everything this movie evoked was a tired smile in two or three scenes. There is some creative situation comedy for sure but not one single truly hilarious scene. Since there are few action scenes and only a few small doses of suspense, this movie is only kept alive by its quirky characters and story.
On the positive side, Burn After Reading has a mostly original script and offers memorable scenes with plenty of strange situation comedy you will remember long after having watched this film. The actresses and actors are also delivering the goods and very convincing as they manage to make the most of their one-dimensional characters. John Malkovich is brilliant as disillusioned analyst, Tilda Swinton convinces as his cold-hearted wife, George Clooney mesmerizes as lying womanizer, Frances McDormand excels in her role as hectic gym employee who makes all the wrong decision and Brad Pitt is quite amusing as dim-witted sportsman who is constantly and stupidly singing and smiling.
In the end, you can give this film a try if you know and like the aforementioned actresses and actors as well as other movies by the Coen Brothers who certainly have their very own style. If one leaves out the brilliant actresses and actors as well as the situation comedy, one gets a movie with a confusing story line that just isn't funny though. I would recommend this flick if there really isn't anything else on television on a rainy night but it's overall slightly overrated.