Genre: Movies > Comedy

Film Review

By: Kunal Jhaveri

A Coen brothers' film can be compared to a dodgy roller coaster ride. You start out enjoying the fun of the ride until the sudden drop arrests you with its unpredictability. The frivolity of life is always perfectly captured by them but they also seem to provide a flawless reflection of our contemporary society caught in a quagmire. The film is a black, spy spoof comedy which showcases the extent of how paranoia seems to have taken control of our existence.

Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) is an analyst with the CIA. He returns home to work on his memoirs and with his drinking. His wife Katie (Tilda Swinton) doesn't seem to be perturbed as she is busy having an affair with Harry Pfarrer, a fast talking Treasury Department Official.

Meanwhile, Linda Litzke (Frances Mcdormand) a fitness instructor at Hard Bodies Fitness Center wants to have her confidence and sexuality returned by opting for plastic surgery. This wish is supported by the 'it' dude, Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt).

Chad finds a random computer disk at the gym, whose information is construed by Chad and Linda as classified and a means to make a quick buck. This situation leads to a series of hilarious encounters which intertwines the characters and turns the situation explosive, all resulting from a single spark of misinformation.

Coen Brothers have managed to retain their reputation with this film. The film has its share of their signature characters of lunatic, idiotic dudes as well as self involved, aggrandizing people that lose it at the end of the day. Though it has its moments where you would sport a wry smile, the film lacks the expected darkness and wry humor of this genre. The situations are expectedly frivolous but you also wish for some more meat to come your way when a chunky Coen Brothers flick is released.
 

Burn after Reading is a dark comedy directed and produced by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen. The main cast includes John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, George Clooney and Frances McDormand.

 

 

The story is about a CIA Agent Osbourne Cox (Malkovich), who quits his job after being demoted because of a drinking problem. Soon, he writes a memoir of his life in the CIA. Osbourne is also having a bad time with his wife Katie (Swinton), who divorces him. Katie even changes the keys of the house to keep Osbourne away forever.

 

On her divorce lawyer's advice, Katie copies Osbourne's personal and financial data on a disc. The lawyer's assistant, accidentally leaves the disc at a gym and this falls into the hands of a gym employee Chad Feldheimer (Pitt). He, along with his colleague Linda Litzke (McDormand) decide to blackmail Osbourne.

 

When, Chad meets Osbourne, the latter refuses to pay and punches Chad in the nose. Then, Linda decides to hand over the disc to the Russian Embassy. In order to get more information on Osbourne, Chad and Linda break into Osbourne's house interrupting Katie and her boyfriend Harry (Clooney). Thinking Chad is a spy, Harry accidentally shoots him dead.

 

What follows is a series of dark humorous events leading onto an unexpected climax.

 

Babykorn

Brad Pitt, who plays Chad Feldheimer in this film, received the Golden Globe Award and the Saturn Award for his performance in the film Twelve Monkeys (1995).  

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Movie Story

 

Burn after Reading is a dark comedy directed and produced by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen. The main cast includes John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, George Clooney and Frances McDormand.

 

The story is about a CIA Agent Osbourne Cox (Malkovich), who quits his job after being demoted because of a drinking problem. Soon, he writes a memoir of his life in the CIA. Osbourne is also having a bad time with his wife Katie (Swinton), who divorces him. Katie even changes the keys of the house to keep Osbourne away forever.

 

On her divorce lawyer's advice, Katie copies Osbourne's personal and financial data on a disc. The lawyer's assistant, accidentally leaves the disc at a gym and this falls into the hands of a gym employee Chad Feldheimer (Pitt). He, along with his colleague Linda Litzke (McDormand) decide to blackmail Osbourne.

 

When, Chad meets Osbourne, the latter refuses to pay and punches Chad in the nose. Then, Linda decides to hand over the disc to the Russian Embassy. In order to get more information on Osbourne, Chad and Linda break into Osbourne's house interrupting Katie and her boyfriend Harry (Clooney). Thinking Chad is a spy, Harry accidentally shoots him dead.

 

What follows is a series of dark humorous events leading onto an unexpected climax.

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