Film Review -- Burn After Reading (R)

Directed by Ethan and Joel Coen
Relativity Media
Released September 12, 2008

The Coen brothers are at it again! After winning the Academy Award for Best Picture with No Country For Old Men, the duo has come back with a late summer comedy that is chock full of talent. Cloney, Pitt, & Malkovich are just some of the names that alone made this film seem worthwhile.

I must say I was oddly impressed with this film. The first ten reviews I read gave it pretty crappy remarks. Perhaps it is just my undying love for these comedic geniuses that made me again fall for it in the end. Although the plot was pretty much based upon misunderstandings and wacky affairs, it had awesome character depth and a surprisingly hilarious supporting role from Brad Pitt.

I understand why all the hostility about this movie exists in the critic world. I mean, technically, nothing actually happens in this movie. But at the same time, a lot happens. It is a subtlety that I personally believe makes the Coen brother's movies fantastic. The majority of their films, especially The Big Lebowski, are driven by their wonderful characters and not the plot. Like The Big Lebowski, this is a film where almost everyone is in deep and over their heads flies the plot which they all try and grab a hold of so as to understand what the heck is going on.

Although the film is certainly not an Academy winner or a future cult classic like many of their films, it is not a flop like The Ladykillers, although some believe it is. I can hardly believe they actually turned this movie around so quickly -- not to mention they have 5 other movies lined up between now and 2010. If you like easy humor, twisted plots, Clooney or hearing the word "fuck" well over 200 times, go see this movie today! Let me know what you think, I'm dying for more opinions.

3 out of 4