Contains the wit, originality, and wicked laughs you expect from your average Coens comedy and then some. Fantastic cast and a hilarious script makes this one of their very best.

(Part 1 of The Possibly Decades Spanning Coen Brothers Marathon)

Well, I'm off to a good start. This is one of those films where none of the characters have the faintest idea what they're doing. The two gym employees believe they're in a spy thriller, George Clooney's under the impression that he's in a romantic comedy and poor John Malkovich gets no respect from anyone. This just makes everything even more hilarious.

Also, Brad Pitt should do a lot more comedy roles. And JK Simmons is brilliant as usual. Actually, let's just say that everyone's brilliant and leave it at that. That includes the Coens' script as well.

I absolutely love this film. Almost entirely for Brad Pitt.

"I'm sorry to be calling at such a late hour....but I thought you might be worried...... about the security..... of your shit."

Coen Brothers writing is unlike any other writing.

My favourite Coen Brothers film so far, and the first one that I would happily watch again for pure enjoyment.

More of a modern comedy crime drama compared to their other work, Burn After Reading contains many of the likeable qualities of their other work, including an hilarious script and a great cast, but I found this film to be their funniest yet. George Clooney and Brad Pitt certainly help to make this better than the rest, and, as always, Frances McDormand is fantastic.

Didn't quite understand it the first time, have to watch it again.

As with all Coen Brothers films, "irreverent"

The Coens kept their trademark style in this, with surreal comedy at times. However it didn't stop this film from disappointing.

The fundamental flaw with the film was its script. The idea was to have a large number of concurrent events, with connected people, where it wraps up in the end joining the plots. Despite this, the plot is just boring, it never interested me. Overall, the film felt one dimensional and disjointed.

The cast is great, with Clooney and Pitt playing against type. But with too many major characters, I never got to connect with any of them.

Crackerjack plotting, as you'd expect. This is basically a farcical illustration of the Dunning-Kruger effect: None of the characters are smart enough to realize that they're incompetent. If you watch casually you might think everything is random, but the Coens let the audience see just enough that they can understand (and even be sympathetic to) why each character fucks up in exactly the ways that they fuck up.

Linda's conversation with her health insurer's voicemail menu captures the essence of the movie: She thinks she's speaking clearly, but the system has no idea what she's saying. Adding humans to the equation doesn't make it any better.

The high points are details like Osbourne Cox's pronunciation of "memoir," Chad's obsession with the security of Cox's shit (and his insistence on repeating "Osbourne Cox"), Harry's pride in his $100 home-made project, etc.

But I'd like this more if it were more than fitfully funny.

Brad Pitt dancing<3

In Burn After Reading, the Coen Brothers put everything on full blast--their signature dry humor, their interestingly unlikable characters, the impressive performances, their stunning visual style--except for the plot. While the theme is well realized, the film tries to carry a story with no weight or central meaning, which becomes more apparent through the rushed pacing and overall emptiness. One of the standout silver linings is Brad Pitt's hilarious yet brief role as a dimwitted gym employee.

C+

My favourite Coen Brothers film so far, and the first one that I would happily watch again for pure enjoyment.

More of a modern comedy crime drama compared to their other work, Burn After Reading contains many of the likeable qualities of their other work, including an hilarious script and a great cast, but I found this film to be their funniest yet. George Clooney and Brad Pitt certainly help to make this better than the rest, and, as always, Frances McDormand is fantastic.