Starring John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Tilda Swinton
If you found “No Country for Old Men” a tad dark for your tastes, then “Burn After Reading” will light up your cinematic sensations.
Joel and Ethan Coen’s first film since winning Best Picture for the aforementioned “No Country” uses a similar plot involving a cat and mouse game. Only this time instead of getting the creeps from an air-gun toting psychopath stalking the hunter who stole his $2 million, now you’ve got a down-on-his-luck CIA agent prone to cussing (Malkovich) trying to get back a disk containing his memoirs from two bumbling, benign gym employees (Pitt and McDormand) sending you into fits of laughter.
Despite its lighter tone, “Burn” does retain the element of danger that “No Country” possessed. While this works for the latter film’s overall dark tone, “Burn” loses its spark when its tone abruptly shifts and it results in an uneven and identity crisis-plagued film.
What’s more is that the film continually jumps from character to character while sharing their different perspectives, so you never quite relate or bond with any one in particular.
The shifting of tones and characters, however, succeeds in conveying “Burn’s” exploration of a hypocritical world where cheating couples cheat on each other, gym employees would rather undergo plastic surgery than do some sit-ups, and most of all… no one – not even the CIA- seems to know what’s going on.
Perhaps it’s the Coens’ satire of our approval rating-sunken government or just a way to score laughs from a helpless and hopeless water bottle-sucking Pitt or a rambling, cartoon-esque McDormand.
In fact, “Burn’s” greatest attribute is its wacky, random performances from major film stars willing to look like complete idiots for our viewing pleasure, as well as the actors’ subtle, comedic expressions that give the impression that the camera lingered just a little bit longer after a scene to show what the character was really feeling.
“Burn” is an absurdly wacky world in which you’ll be glad to spend a little time in, but it’s doubtful it’ll make film history as did its “No Country” predecessor.
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