As usual with Coen Bro. comedies, there is a build-up of characters and an increasingly crazy mix-ups that all leads to utter chaos and mayhem. This is no different. If you don't know the plot, here it is in a nutshell:
- gym employees find a disk with potentially valuable government secrets and try and sell it.
That's basically it. What makes this so neat to watch is how such a seemingly simple plot can get so complicated (as we get two opportunities to sit back and realize with scenes between two CIA bigwigs talk about what is transpiring and trying to make sense of it themselves. --- hilarious scenes!) And, for me, there was one tryly SHOCKING moment that had breathless and then laughing nervously and then giggling uncontrollably at....
The actors really sell ths baby. In the hands of others it might not have worked as well, but everyone puts both feet in to their roles. Pitt is a standout as a moron (well, actually, there are a whole bunch of morons) and Malkovich gets to rant and be mean and nasty like few others can.
Although there are a few slow moments, I can't fault it too bad for it, because the movie is what it is... it is not Raising Arizona .. it is more like "No Country" meets "Barton Fink" with some "Lebowski" thrown in.
8 out of 10.
