Burn After Reading (DVD)

Over the years, the Coen Brothers have been well known for introducing us to a different world of cinema - that which has comedy and conspiracy mixed in with a distinct feel of watching something brand new that is instantly cult. Hit films such as O Brother Where Art Thou? and Raising Arizona are prime examples, and the extremely cult (if such an adjective can be used for such a noun) The Big Lebowski, with its awesome soundtrack is for me what signifies a perfect Coen example. I am of mixed opinions when it comes to enjoying a Coen Brothers film, and I have to admit I sit firmly on the fence with Burn After Reading. I have yet to watch their last offering, No ...  Read the complete review

Before telling you about this film I'll just relate a small incident that happened to me in Las Vegas a few years ago. There's a hotel called Excalibur which is a fairy tale castle based on Arthurian legend. It has its own jousting court where they have dinner and jousting evenings. At night the whole building is lit up. One evening as I was passing it with my husband, we heard an American tourist behind us exclaim, "Wow, it's just like England!" This was hilarious at the time, but on reflection I realized this kind of fairytale castle has been seen in so many films about medieval England, maybe it's begun to represent the real England in the minds of some ...  Read the complete review

We rented Burn After Reading from lovefilm and watched it the other night. I say we but my partner didn't get it at all and fell asleep partway through so I was left with this film on my own. Burn After Reading is classed as a black comedy and it was written, produced and directed by the Coen brothers. The film stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Richard Jenkins. Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) is a CIA agent who quits his job after being demoted for a drinking problem and decides to write his memoirs about life in the agency. His wife Katie (Tilda Swinton) wants to divorce him because of this and copies files ...  Read the complete review

Burn After Reading was a Friday night rental for a few friends and me last week. I wanted something silly and stupid but I got convinced into watching Burn After Reading. I noticed the impressive cast and instantly had high expectations for the film. I honestly had no idea what the film was about; the only thing I had to go by was a friend a few months before saying it was a bit of a mind spin. Little did I know I was about to watch one of the most peculiar films in recent years. The Plot This is potentially impossible to explain but I'll have a go. Osborne Cox is an ex CIA analyst who recently quit his job as he was unhappy at being demoted within ...  Read the complete review

BURN AFTER READING === Intro === Burn After Reading is the latest release from the legendary directing partnership of the Coen brothers. After the immense success of No Country For Old Men the public were expecting big, and with a more high-profile cast than the brothers generally use, with George Clooney, John Malkovich and Brad Pitt all playing big roles, Joel and Ethan Coen deliver another intelligent dark comedy. === The Plot === Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) is a CIA analyst who, upon learning that he has been demoted to a much lower rank following a drinking problem, decides to quit the agency. With much more time now on his ...  Read the complete review