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Burn After Reading

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:06 pm
by Usivius
This is a ridiculous, sick, sad, what-was-it-all-for kinda movie ... and I LOVED it!
:)
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.
:thumbsup:

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:29 am
by lurch
..as one critic put it about the Coen Brothers Comedies..we tend to be nothing more than the Illusions of Ourselves that we chase after. Dark Humor indeed.

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:49 am
by Mr. Broken
" Beware any comedian carrying air tools"

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:33 pm
by AjK
Finally saw this one yesterday. It was nowhere near what I expected based on the commercials/trailers. Despite the whacky story-telling, the uncomfortable "basement project" of Mr. Clooney's character, the violence and the black comedy, my step-daughter and I were laughing uncontrollably the entire drive home recounting the movie. All leads did a great job. 8 out of 10 for sure.