REVIEW: Burn After Reading (15)

The strangest brothers in moviemaking are attempting to bookend 2008 with hits. The beginning of the year saw them release the Oscar-winning No Country For Old Men, and the last few months of it will give us a return to comedy for the duo who gave us The Big Lebowski.

Bored gym worker Linda (Frances McDormand) is determined to get a full body makeover but is held back from her dream by the huge cost of the surgeries. She sees her opportunity when her stupid-but-upbeat co-worker Chad (Brad Pitt) finds a CD containing ‘sensitive’ information. They attempt to blackmail extremely irate former agent Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) but soon find themselves out of their depth as a circle of conspiracy involving the CIA, the Russian government and Cox’s wife’s lover (George Clooney) threatens to put them all in danger.

The story is a sort of spy spin on The Big Lebowski where someone of little intelligence finds themselves in the middle of a huge incident, not exactly knowing why. But being a Coens film, it’s not about the plot,  but more about the great characters who make up the twisted world the filmmakers have created. It pokes fun at people in apparent positions of power with the comedy coming from the fact that these people are not always so bright. The surreal humour (especially George Clooney’s basement “invention”) may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but the humour is dark and very hilarious.

Another element that people may not 'get' is the role Brad Pitt has been given. Chad is essentially a comedy sidekick and a buffoon but his real life celebrity persona may lead people to believe his role should be more than it is. However, for a supporting part his comedy timing is pretty good and makes fun of his pretty boy appearance. Clooney is also funny as the quirky gigolo, furthering the Coen Brothers’ trick of putting ‘cool’ celebrities in stupid roles. Tilda Swinton is also pretty good as Cox’s ice maiden wife, making fun of her intense on-screen persona. In the middle of it all is McDormand who is so incredibly driven by her desire for a makeover that she barely notices the trouble she gets herself into.

A marmite movie. To some people it will make no sense whatsoever and have them leaving the cinema in disgust. However, to those familiar with the particularly twisted humour of the Coen Brothers, it’s an absolute delight and a way of seeing some of Hollywood’s finest as you’ve never seen them before.

Burn After Reading is released October 17.