'Burn After Reading' review

Brad Pitt in "Burn After Reading" (Credit: Focus)

Photos:

The dismissal of Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) from his job as a CIA analyst sets off a chain reaction of outlandish events involving his wife (Tilda Swinton), the man (George Clooney) she’s having an affair with, and two bumbling employees of a Washington D.C. fitness club: Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt).

Big question: What have revered filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen done for an encore to their Oscar-winning “No Country for Old Men”?

Catch it: It’s quirky-comedy time again for the Coens after their foray into more sobering material with “No Country.” The brothers have said they conceived “Burn” with each of the major cast members in mind, and it’s easy to understand why. This latest comedy of foolish misunderstandings falls somewhere between the time-tested cult appeal of “The Big Lebowski” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and the more mainstream-leaning, easily forgotten “Intolerable Cruelty” and “The Ladykillers.”

Skip it: Unfortunately, the characters the Coens have crafted never reach the level of their finest work. The movie lacks anyone worthy of emotional investment, which clouds the buffoonery with a level of cynicism unusual even by the filmmakers’ snarky standards. That’s especially clear in the case of McDormand. The neurotic, plastic-surgery-obsessed Linda represents her first true lead in a Coen film since the great “Fargo” but doesn’t give the actress (and wife of Joel Coen) enough depth to duplicate that achievement.

Bottom line: It’s clear from the start the audience is in the hands of first-rate filmmakers—the kind who understand the pleasure of watching a perfectly cast collection of jackasses bounce off each other in situations so absurd they leave government “intelligence” utterly baffled. But considering the impressive ensemble, it’s too bad “Burn” ends up perfectly good but never truly great.

Bonus: Don’t expect Clooney to match the over-the-top performances of his previous Coen outings (“O Brother” and “Intolerable Cruelty”). He’s relatively restrained here, to generally good effect, and allows Pitt to play the film’s biggest goof. Still, Clooney’s character has an outrageous secret sure to make wives think twice about what their husbands are doing alone in the basement.

Video: Watch a review of 'Burn After Reading'

Add a comment