The Coen brothers (“Fargo,” “O Brother Where art Thou,” “No Country for Old Men”) have a very strong personality in showbiz. They are notorious for screwing around with the actors and workers on set, and ultimately, with their audiences. Their critically-acclaimed films are almost guaranteed to attract attention from critics and avid moviegoers alike.
For exactly this reason, every actor wants to do a Coen brothers’ film. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and John Malcovich approach “Burn After Reading” with utterly awesome performances as the main characters and the smaller parts with just a few lines are even filled with recognizable co-stars. But, will the all-star cast and Coen brothers’ script of “Burn” live up to the high standards set by their award-winning past?
As I left the movie theater, I honestly couldn’t answer that question. The movie leaves you stuck in your thoughts, trying to figure out exactly what you just finished watching. “Burn After Reading” is a screwy farce, filled with cheap laughs and convenient plot twists, but it also has moments that make you say to yourself “I’m so glad I’m watching this movie right now!” The movie’s plot is hard enough to describe: two people searching for love, a drunken CIA man losing his job, gym trainers conspiring with the Russian government, sexual affairs and divorces all around and completely unnecessary (but freaking awesome) over-the-top violence.
The plot, although it intertwines beautifully like a jigsaw puzzle, is not all that is important to the enjoyment of the film. The success of this movie depends on the impeccable performances given by its all-star cast. It feels similar to “I Heart Huckabees,” seemingly made for the sole purpose of puzzling audiences yet still quite enjoyable to watch. “Burn” is just a lot darker and a lot less existentialist and should appeal to similar audiences.
Harry (George Clooney) is a happily married, sex-obsessed goof who always feels good about life and craves extramarital sex. Its amusingly wonderful to see Clooney play a character very far from the typical suave, good looking, smart fella he plays in countless stories. One of his sexual affairs is with Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand), a woman who just craves positives in her life like Harry, yet so negatively views her own body. Though a very one-dimensional character who’s only goal in the movie is to pay for cosmetic surgery, McDormand brings a very honest dynamic to the character when she reveals exactly how much she cares for others as she cries out to Harry for help in rescuing her friend. All other thoughts are off her mind until Harry calms her down so she can think about cosmetic surgery again.
Nearly all the characters behave in this same child-like way, only able to experience one emotion at a time. When she’s not busy internet-dating, Linda works at a very stereotypical gym with a truly caring boss and a dear friend named Chad, played by Brad Pitt. Chad is a gum-chewing, carefree, dumbbell slinging, physical fitness buff that is perpetually stuck with the mind of an innocent and ignorant teenage jock. Pitt’s hilarious portrayal of this character is an absolute gift from some divine force and is almost enough of a reason for me to recommend this movie.
Likewise, I may argue that it is solely worth seeing the movie for John Malcovich’s performance as Osbourne Cox, an aging CIA man who just lost his job. He’s a drunken lunatic who thinks he’s better than everyone else and shows it with his outrageous pronunciation of the word “memoir” and seemingly innate ability correct grammar under even the most extenuating circumstances.
He has a painfully horrid, unemotional relationship with his wife, Katie, played by Tilda Swinton. She too delivers spot-on trite dialogue as a children’s doctor with a stick stuck up her ass.
But is it good? The plot is creatively tied together, yet not creative in the least bit. The laughs are usually cheap, yet a few are well worth the price. The dialogue is not interesting but the actors deliver such compelling first-class performances that I didn’t even notice. It is purely the quirky characters and ironic casting that makes this an extremely enjoyable movie. It is far from being a good Coen brothers’ movie. But it’s still a funny flick. I proclaim that it is well worth ninety-six minutes of your time. Just wait for it to come out on DVD first.
