Burn After Reading

Name: Burn After Reading
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Crime
Released: September 12, 2008
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton

2008

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 37 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 401 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	Your Score
6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 401 Ratings

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BURN AFTER READING

Movie Details & Credits

Focus Features | Release Date: September 12, 2008

Starring: Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton

Summary: An ousted CIA official's memoir accidentally falls into the hands of two unwise gym employees intent on exploiting their find. (Focus Features)

Director: Ethan Coen and Joel Coen

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 96 min

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Awards & Rankings

19	#19 Most Discussed Movie of 2008
52	#52 Most Shared Movie of 2008

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Chicago Reader - J.R. Jones

After the portentous "No Country for Old Men," Joel and Ethan Coen return to their trademark brand of cruel, misanthropic farce, and for dark laughs and hurtling narrative momentum this spy caper is their best work since "Fargo." Read full review

Newsweek - David Ansen

That's the paradox that makes this parade of folly so much fun: it feels as if everyone involved is having a high old time, and their enthusiasm is contagious. Read full review

Rolling Stone - Peter Travers

It would be no country for movie lovers without the Coens. They still manage to run unmuzzled while the rest of Hollywood runs scared. Read full review

The Hollywood Reporter - Kirk Honeycutt

Joel and Ethan Coen clearly are in a prankish mood, knocking out a minor piece of silliness with all the trappings of an A-list studio movie. Read full review

New York Post - Kyle Smith

The film has enough funny lines and weird situations - some comedy business with a sex chair lovingly constructed by the Clooney character is the highlight - that it could age into a cult film like "The Big Lebowski." Read full review

New York Magazine (Vulture) - David Edelstein

Burn After Reading is untranscendent, a little tired, the first Coen brothers picture on autopilot. In the words of the CIA superior, it’s "no biggie." Read full review

Time - Richard Corliss

Either the Coens failed, or I didn't figure out what they're attempting. I must be like Harry or Osborne, pretending to a sophistication I lack. Burn After Reading is a movie about stupidity that left me feeling stupid. Read full review

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User Reviews

StevenF

Feb 4, 2013

It's deadpan comedy at its best, and who better to deliver it than Joel and Ethan Cohen, along with Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand and the fantastic John Malkovich.
When a disc containing some of the CIAs most revealing secrets goes missing, it ends up in the gym of the mostIt's deadpan comedy at its best, and who better to deliver it than Joel and Ethan Cohen, along with Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand and the fantastic John Malkovich.
When a disc containing some of the CIAs most revealing secrets goes missing, it ends up in the gym of the most bumbling, simple minded individuals, who attempt blackmail but get in too far over their heads.
Its an approach at showing just how overreacting individuals can be, but also just how bland or too seriously many Hollywood movies take themselves surrounding this incident, basically a parody.
Its a very well written dark comedy with brilliant performances, particularly Brad Pitt as an extremely camp gym worker, and retied CIA analyst John Malkovich.
It has this large ensemble cast that go to extreme length to mock and amaze through sheer stupidity, all for our amusement, and they certainly do not fail.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

KevinH.

Sep 27, 2008

First off let me preface this review with the statement that this movie isn't for everyone. Comedy films are the most subjective of all genres. When i saw this film last night i couldn't understand why i was laughing every 20 seconds whereas only a couple other people laughed at First off let me preface this review with the statement that this movie isn't for everyone. Comedy films are the most subjective of all genres. When i saw this film last night i couldn't understand why i was laughing every 20 seconds whereas only a couple other people laughed at all during the entire screening. If you have watched pretty much all the coen brothers comedies since fargo you will probably love this. If you have a very dark sense of humor and your favorite rolling stones song is paint it black this is your movie. The Coen brothers have the best ability for characterization of any filmmakers working in america. Never completely stereotypical characters but stereotypical enough that we can relate to them and recognize a type. The film is a comic symphony where the laughs are interspersed at the beginning and the big laughs are set up for later only to reach a crescendo in the last half hour. it's a movie you really have to pay attention too and if you pay enough attention you will be rewarded. Is the film really about anything. My feeling is that the coen brothers films never have a giant, didactic and overarching theme. The satirical look at the characters displays tiny small themes that are all found within the subtext of the immediate scene. The acting is amazing with brad pitt doing what will be remembered as one of his best films along clooney. so understated most of the way through but they are all so immersed in character that it's amazing and whenever a character does something that seems ridiculous, the actors are that character so indelibly that it makes sense. In regards to the coen brothers exploiting there characters with a mean spirited hatred. I disagree. To understand character as well as the coen's do, one has to love people in general. The only way you can pull off this type of comedy is to love people because of their idiosyncracies and not in spite of them. there comedy sensiblities remind me of preston sturges 40's films and yes O Brother Where art thou's title is a reference to sturges' sullivan's travels. Could have been a 10 that i gave it but it wasn't perfect.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

The3AcademySins

Aug 22, 2018

Easily one of the Cohen Brother's most underrated films. This is a classic Cohen Brothers comedy about people arguing and scheming over something worthless. The ensemble cast is great. The laughs are great. It's very charming and enjoyable to watch. The twists and turns are perfect and willEasily one of the Cohen Brother's most underrated films. This is a classic Cohen Brothers comedy about people arguing and scheming over something worthless. The ensemble cast is great. The laughs are great. It's very charming and enjoyable to watch. The twists and turns are perfect and will entertain and shock you!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

FranciscoP.

Mar 4, 2009

The Coen's usually characterize their films using dramatic breakups to their stories. In this film that breakup is more than ever unexpected: simple characters transforming into witnesses of their own mistakes... the story becomes more dense nevertheless always more atractive. In this The Coen's usually characterize their films using dramatic breakups to their stories. In this film that breakup is more than ever unexpected: simple characters transforming into witnesses of their own mistakes... the story becomes more dense nevertheless always more atractive. In this zoo of characters, some reality between too much freakness may be necessary... That's an issue that the Coen's definetely got to improve in ther stories... obviously instead of No country for old man.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

DaveW.

Sep 18, 2008

It has some funny moments and some violent ones. I like both of the above but they didn't work well in this case. The characters were so stupid you just didn't care.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

BM.

Oct 5, 2008

Horrible waste of money. was mildly amusing at best. story could've been made into something neat but instead was a wash of nothing. You know those types of movies that just don't have any meaning or resolution. Boring, pointless waste of time and money. Do not see this movie.

1 of 3 users found this helpful

LaurenE.

Sep 12, 2008

Stupid movie, about stupid people.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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