couchdog53:

If you are a fan of the Coen brother's films, you should like this one too. It's another dark comedy, but compared to Fargo I would say this is lighter and more consistently funny. I'm not saying it's better, just different. Clooney, Pitt and Malkovich are hilarious throughout, and Frances McDormand is great as always. I also liked Tilda Swinton as the least likable character. You just love to hate her. The scenes where the CIA agents were portrayed as inept buffoons had me laughing with every scene. They are downright ludicrous. The whole movie is a kick in the pants, and I highly recommend it.

Southern Belle 1:

"Burn After Reading" is more spoof than dark comedy, in my opinion - and I watched it twice to make sure I was "getting it". Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) is being blackmailed by two gym employees (Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand). There are other subplots including extra-marital affairs, divorce summons', dating services, cosmetic surgeries, stake-outs and scenes of CIA officials. As with many of these multi-celebrity comedies, there's a fine line between silly/stupid and sharp/witty. I'm afraid this one fell into the first category. It was entertaining and had its moments, but I didn't laugh out loud - and I wondered if I might have enjoyed it more with a guffawing audience sitting around me. In any case, the humor was lost partly because I saw Pitt, Clooney and McDormand "acting" dumb and it didn't work for me. The best scenes were those of the befuddled CIA director and his minion as well as those with a great Tilda Swinton and John Malkovich. To the Coen brothers' credit, however, all the loose ends are neatly tied up in the last act. 01-01-09

JB Seriously 55:

I am a big fan of the Coen brothers, but this was not one of their best efforts. Great cast, but it appeared that they tried too hard to act as if they were in a Coen brothers film! True Frances McDormand and George Clooney have been in their films (McDormand for obvious reasons not the least of which that she is a terrific actor) but to me they tried too hard. The story was only mildly interesting. The comedy seemed contrived and mixing the comedic aspects with real violence took away from the overall feel of the film. Glad I saw it, but disappointed. (12/25/08)

frgodbeyjr:

I really expected more out of this GREAT cast. The quality of the acting was not the problem for me. I guess it was high expectations and an underwhelming story. John Malkovich stole every scene he was in... he was awesome! It centers around the book his character was writing after he "quit" his medium level government job. The CD that the book was on fell into the hands of Pitt's character and that's when everything begins to tie all these actors together. Somewhat interesting story, but not great. I still will give it 3 stars for Malkovich. 2/25/09

WideStance:

Because it's very silly and lighter in weight than No Country For Old Men or Fargo I understand the urge to call this a lesser film in the Joel and Ethan Coen canon but don't do it! Dismissing Burn After Reading as a dopey trifle is a big mistake, it's an off-beat, signature Coen Brother movie that their fans should easily enjoy. Brad Pitt turns in a surprising, hilarious performance as Chad the fitness club trainer. He's moronic and relentlessly upbeat with that obnoxious pumped-up gym rat attitude and perfect as the dimwit who really thinks he's got the upper hand on everyone else. Malkovich is great at seething contempt and he's perfectly cast here. Frances McDormand, Clooney, and especially character actor JK Simmons are all terrific as well. I intend to see it again soon.

jmiscavish:

It seems that some of my fellow reviewers missed the irony in this movie. Or perhaps they haven't seen any of the Coen Bros other movies. This is standard Coen Bros fare. Absurd situations with absurd characters all run amuck through another black comedy (the kind of comedy where people die...). No three sentence synopsis could do the plot justice, so realize that if you like the other Coen Bros films, you will probably enjoy this. If you don't 'get' movies like The Big Lebowski, I'd skip this. Highly recommended, however.

Firewater:

Some wise person has said that the difference between tragedy and comedy is your perspective. Make no mistake, BURN AFTER READING is a tragedy. But, it is a tragedy that had me laughing throughout. I really liked this one. No, it's not as good as FARGO. Few things are. It's in the same vein, though. There is something to like and hate about each character, and D.C. is like one of the characters. Frances McDormand is a standout, as always, but all of the actors turn in fine performances. The Coen Brothers score again. [12-27-08]

JG 149475:

This Film sucks....I can't believe Brad Pitt was talked into making this film!! I gave it one star because I felt sorry for it...

SB 1044769:

I was really surprised to see all of the 4 and 5 star ratings here. I thought this film was boring at best, and the majority of the movie theater seemed to agree. As we were leaving all we heard was people saying "awful" "terrible" "horrible" and "a waste of $10." If this movie was any longer than an hour and a half I would've left. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is because it was well acted.

NotFarFromCrazy:

This is old school Coen Brothers, and it is a delight! It?s a polar opposite film from last years Academy Award winning No Country for Old Men, but it has many of the same themes, particularly letting greed take over your life. Every actor in this film is great. Brad Pitt plays against type as a lovable lunkhead who gets in way over his head. It?s fun to see Tilda Swinton and George Clooney as lovers when they were such mortal enemies in Michael Clayton. I hope this movie wins some awards, because in a lot of ways, it deserves it.

BunnyKing:

This is another quirky film from the Coen brothers that's most definitely worth watching. I mean hands down, you will be interested. It seems like everything goes really slow from beginning to end. It seems like the plot can be pretty confusing at times. But when you're done, everything makes sense, everything comes together, and you find yourself laughing at tragedy. This is an awesome film, everyone does a spectacular job acting and I think the Coens really did a great job developing these characters. Excellent and recommended.

Supercords:

I love the Coen Brothers as much as anybody, but seriously, this movie was all over the place. The only thing I can think of, is that the point of the movie is that there is no point. It?s pointless on purpose. An exercise in futility. Dark humor only works if it?s funny, and this script rarely was. A story unfolded which held my attention. That?s all it did. I could have just as easily been watching the Home & Garden network for a couple hours. Rating: D

Brier Patch:

I really, truly admire the work of the Coen brothers. And I like all of these actors. And they are all dependably fun to watch in this film. I even laughed out loud at the antics when they purposefully pushed that comedy button. But it all feels like a mere exercise in film-making for Joel and Ethan. The plot (such as it is) just meanders along so as to give us roughly equal face time with each of the actors pictured on the DVD cover. They all show us their chops, but none of these characters are remotely believable or sympathetic. Why should we care about them, exactly? The purpose of the film is revealed in the special features. The Coens had some actors they wanted to work with, so they wrote roles for them. The premise they came up with on which to hang these characters was... What if moronic gym employees were to collide with asinine intelligence agents? Not a horrible premise, I guess, as it kept me watching and periodically amused. If this had been a scrappy independent production with a bunch of hungry no-name actors, I would probably have been more impressed. But I just expect more from these directors. This is one of their weakest efforts and the sole payoff is getting to watch these actors make fools of themselves.

lastliberal:

There really doesn't seem to be much sense in what is going on. It is like Fargo in that respect. And, like Fargo, it is an opportunity for everyone to just have a good time and be funny. Brad Pitt is hilarious, and Frances McDormand is equally so. Together they just make this one of the funniest films about spies and murder and infidelity that you can imagine. George Clooney spends most of his time bedding as many women as he can, and he gets caught in the middle of Pitt and McDormands plans. His paranoia reaches new heights as things develop. There are many more great performances, by great I mean very funny, by John Malkovich, Richard Jenkins, David Rasche, and J.K. Simmons.

JLo:

This was a decent Coen Brother's movie. If you like the Coen Brother movies, you should see it, and I imagine if you are a fan, you will anyway. As usual, the movie is not lacking in colorful characters and zany situations. I was pleased with McDormand's, Pitt's and Clooney's performances. The movie starts off strong with great introductions and the makings of a hilarious spy farce, but unfortunately I didn't feel like it resolved things very well. I wanted more of Pitt, McDormand, Clooney and Swindon, and less of Malkovich. Malkovich predictably consumes every scene he is in. It's a fun movie, and better than most, but not that great.

Rigel:

The Coen brothers have wild characters and their unique brand of awkward mayhem down to a science. Pitt, McDormand, Malkovich and the rest are very colorful, zany, and cartoonish people who, of course, wind up in a catastrophic plummet into disaster when one of them runs afoul of some bad government data and completely misplays an attempt to return it to its rightful owner. Desperation is the name of the game as things fall apart in giggly tension, driving the tragicomic plot to... nothing. The getting-there was apparently so much fun, it seems they totally forgot to wrap it up, write an ending, or even provide any meaning. Things abruptly screech to a halt with an airy sniff from J.K. Simmons, and the credits roll leaving the viewer rather unfulfilled. For those who don't mind an open-ended script, it's pretty fun, but watch out for that last step - it's not there.

demonduck:

Really fun to watch, but has the thematic punch of a teddy bear. This is certainly from the minds of the Cohen bros with their trademark wackiness, complexity, and style. What is more, Pitt, Clooney, and Malkovich play gloriously against type and once again reaffirm themselves among the most talented of modern actors. However, after the whirlwind spins out and the bombastic absurdity reaches its heights you'll feel something missing even as you know that you had fun watching it. Not the best Cohen bros movie, but certainly worth watching.

RedSun21:

Amusing at times, but only gets three stars because of one shocking scene that left me with my jaw dropping. Seeing Pitt act like a dopey fool was fun. Most of the characters are either clueless, very unlikable, or both. The Coen brothers seem a little lost with this one. It could have been better if they decided to go more towards a Blood Simple/Millers Crossing type of movie, or a Raising Arizona comedy. However, they got stuck somewhere in the middle and tried hard to make it work, but seems like they just gave up in the end just had J.K. Simmons read lines off a script to try to explain what happened.

pep 703717:

Great cast... and that's about the best point of this movie. NOT a dark comedy. I would say that there isn't a redeeming quality about this movie. Everyone is either an idiot or they are scum. I would write more, but to be quite frank, any more time spent thinking about or writing about this movie would be a waste.

tlimon:

For me, the Coens's bat about .50 average. It's kinda funny at some points but mostly falls flat. Maybe I'll like the next one though.

LR 1387270:

This is advertised as "dark comedy". I found it darker than it was funny. I wasn't expecting the graphic violence.

dew 903414:

I was especially surprised at how flat and poorly paced this Coen brothers flick was. The humor, although intended as dark, did not have the impact that many of their films have. The situation were as usual extraordinary, but the reactions of the characters were very mundane rather than stupidly comical. Richard Jenkins character was given very little to work with and his ending up as one of the two final victims was incredulous. This will not come quickly to mind when people try to list the Coen brothers movies.

fni 621138:

I have watched indie films that aren't even as bad as this one! Should have been called "Burn after Watching". TERRIBLE! Don't even waste your time with it.

LB 785677:

This movie should have been called "Burn Before Watching" The use of profanity was a constant barrage of pain. While the plot was mildly interesting; calling it a dark comedy would be a gross understatement. Brad Pitt and George Clooney were fabulous in all the Ocean's movies but neither was convincing as the moronic amoral characters they portrayed. As a big fan of all the stars in this movie I would have to say it was almost embarassing to watch them suffer through this.

batman1784:

Didn't think this was that good. Very choppy and not flowing. But it wasn't awful. Try it but you might get dissapointed by all the actors that are in here. Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand play great characters looking for a reward for lost property. But overall this was lame. It got boring at times.

Mister Sparkles:

this movie was so bizarre. The Coens get a blank check with me for previous work, and despite my pitch black soul of nothingness, I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy a movie filled with such ugly horrible human beings. Maybe that's why Brad Pitt's performance stands out so much. To be clear, the ugliness of the characters just didn't seem to be to any end whatsoever, rather some kind of idea for horrible characters that the Coens had to construct a story around. Good acting on the whole though, some good moments, but not earth-shattering.

riyley:

Neither farce nor comedy, this movie is dark, morose, and only slightly entertaining. The characters are shallow, unsympathetic animals in a morbid affair of inferior intelligence. A low point for the Coen brothers, to be missed if at all possible.

etm 1058356:

This movie was absolutely horrible. I don't recommend it at all. Bad Plot and story line. A waste of good acting talent.

LANjackal:

A hilarious film in which a CIA agent's demotion sets off a sequence of events that look like a completely different situation to each of several groups involved in the plot. Beyond that, the movie is hard to explain. Watch and enjoy.

BR 866890:

A much better title would have been "Burn Before Watching," but then I would have had to pay extra for it. This is the first review I've ever written for a movie, and unfortunately it cannot be of any help to readers. I watched only twenty or thirty minutes, so apparently I never got to any of the "funny" parts mentioned by other reviewers. I can only say that I wish I could have those minutes of my life back so I could pursue something a lot more fun-- perhaps going to the dentist, or getting water-boarded, or.....

JDoors:

Starts slow ("Um, what the heck is this about?"), but once an unexpected shocking scene takes place, this movie TAKES OFF and ROCKS! Often hilarious, surprising, thrilling, and, sadly, all too plausible: Your tax money at work people! With McDormand as a clueless self-absorbed nut, Pitt as an maniacally energetic idiot, Malkovich as an angry man having an epic mid-life crisis, Swinton as an aloof control freak (to avoid using the "B" word), Jenkins as a hopelessly spurned romantic and Simmons as the increduous C.I.A. boss taking it all in stride are terrific, but Clooney really gets the ball rolling in a surprising role as a paranoid sex freak. That might sound a little too weird and confusing, but it's typical Coen brothers material (Raising Arizona, Fargo) and they nail it here.

iia 730420:

Should be called "Burn Before Watching". This was sooo boring. I gave it about 45 minutes for something interesting (or funny) to happen before I just turned it off.

ybemad:

Just looking at the cast, and not really knowing anything about the plot except that there was a disk with sought after secrets, I had high expectations for this movie. I remember the commercials on tv, gave me the impression that this would be some funny caper movie, with wacky characters. Is this what I found? No. Apparently this is a dark comedy. Whatever that means, it wasn't funny. I chuckled, twice maybe three times. There doesn't seem to be a point, or central character to root for or identify with. I didn't hate it, but if I had seen this in a theater I'd have been PO'd.

BloodyShadows:

This just wasn't funny. I was hoping for something along the lines of Big Lebowski, but its far from it. It seems every actor over-acts in this. You've never seen George Clooneys eyebrows do so much acting. Brad Pitt is funny, but it seems forced. Frances McDormand is particularly bad, I would say she under-acts. Her character is completely shallow, uninteresting, and stupid. In fact, all the characters are pretty stupid in this film. None of it adds up to anything profound. Its just an hour and a half of Clooney and Pitt acting goofy and Malkovich acting Malkovich. Nothing really happens, nothing is as funny as Lebowski, and nothing can save this film from itself.

Frank W:

With a Coen Brothers film, the only thing more certain than uncertainty itself, is the expectation of being treated to the more offbeat aspects of an unpredictable plot involving a gaggle of buffoonish characters. As expected, the Coens concoct brilliantly clever ways of intersecting the lives and stories of the characters during the course of the film, often under violently Coen'esque' circumstances. But of course, all the absurdity wouldn't work without the magnificent performances of the ensemble cast. Line after line of clever quips is delivered with near-perfect pitch, each surpassing the previous in its mirth and effectiveness. Burn After Reading isn't a perfect film by any means as it has a bit too much to say about too many disparate topics, but for those of us constantly clamoring for something new and refreshing out of the Hollywood fluff machine, it'll do just fine

Agorante:

When I was in the Army one afternoon in the barracks a fellow trooper angrilyed toss down a book he had had been reading. He yelled "What a stupid book!" The book was "Catch-22". I picked it up and recognized it a genius. Hilarious genius. The problem wasn't the book but the reader. It was a sort of IQ test and my fellow trooper just wasn't bright enough to "get it". So too this movie is an IQ test. It is hilarious throughout, but some of the viewers who have written negative comments here are not quite smart enough to appreciate it.

BlueVoid:

A pretty decent film. It's not by any means one of the top Cohen Brother works, but not everything can be the Big Labowski. It has some great acting, and it will make you chuckle. Definitely worth a viewing.

Josh Mock:

I laughed the whole way through the movie. And then it ended and I stopped laughing immediately, feeling as though the Coen brothers were serving me a WTF moment much like Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) experienced throughout the entire film.

AtTheBeach:

I always approach a Coen brothers movie with trepidation. Some are excellent ("Fargo" and "O Brother, Where Are Thou") and some are boring ("Old Country for Old Men") but always different. The question is how different. "Burn After Reading" is a dark comedy. The movie accurately pinpoints the foibles and quirks of our society. From the lady considering various types of plastic surgery (and willing to do almost anything to improve her appearance) to the federal employee who does not have a drinking problem (and promptly goes home to have a few drinks) to the various characters that are meeting and sleeping with others in their own unique way, the movie is satirical and humorous. Many of their movies use violence for shock effect and this is no exception. It is funny, although it may hit too close to home for some viewers, and also with occasional violence to keep the story on the cutting edge of entertainment. John Malkovich plays another odd character; George Clooney is well-cast as a charming sex addict and Brad Pitt expertly plays the role of an gym rat with little serious thought traversing through his character's head in the movie. "Burn After Reading" is funny, with scenes likely to pop back into your head after it is over, and well worth watching. One of the best movie so far in 2008.

TheGoodmanFamily:

A wild roller coaster ride with an ensemble cast. To tell you the truth, the random stuff that happens in this show reminds me of the way I felt as I watched Fight Club for the first time. There are a lot of moments where you ask: did that really just happen? We are so desensitized to shows where something weird or bad happens, something unexpected, only to have it be a flashback or daydream. I found this movie really keeping me on my toes, and I had to think a little (but not too much!), which was nice. John Malkovich plays this jerk of a character that I really can't sympathize with, but George Clooney and Brad Pitt - I always love them in their roles. One of my favorite roles for Richard Jenkins was Six Feet Under, and it's good to see him on the screen again. This movie felt a lot shorter than your average movie, probably because of the pacing, but also, I felt they did a really good job of intercutting between the scenes and mini-plot points. Each of those has their own relatively consistent pacing, so you get to switch back and forth between fast-paced action and reasonable, slow-paced dialog. Funny, tragic, weird and bureaucratic all rolled up into one!

2BeeOrNot2Bee:

Oh, how I love Brad Pitt in this flick. He is such a moron. I just loved the entire movie. There are so many twists and turns. The performances were great. A few great unexpected moments that sent the end into the unknown zone. I didn't have it figured out, which was a delight. Perfect Coen movie. Just loved it.

pwe 1555125:

This movie is so bad it's actually good. Very bad acting from George Clooney (not surprisingly) which is entertaining. Brad Pitt plays a dimwit, which is really funny.

simplygreg:

Oh Joel and Ethan-you are so eclectic and unpredictable. While this is neither a thriller or comedy exactly, it is also both. Dismiss your expectations and you will love this cinematic zen experience.