Several individuals counseled me to avoid the Coen Brothers’ film Burn After Reading on account of poor reviews but I found that these opinions strengthened my resolve. After viewing the black comedy, I did not find myself to be disappointed, nor did the rest of the audience at the Varsity Cinemas. The film lacks the drama and tension of “No Country for Old Men” but provides numerous laughs, thanks to an absurd screenplay and ridiculous performances.
Borrowing (or perhaps “adapting) shocking scenes from Pulp Fiction and Fargo, Burn After Reading is fairly violent. I found J.K. Simmons deadpan character to be a substantial improvement over his portrayal or Emil Skoda and Juno’s dad. It allowed viewers to take a step-back and laugh at events that would otherwise be tragic. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and John Malkovich excellently fill the roles of a sleazebag, idiot, and bitter alcoholic respectively.
I was perturbed by the lack of political satire. I feel that the Washington D.C. setting was not fully utilized. On one hand, I would like to see the Coens tackled a presidential election but on the other hand, they probably wouldn’t be as bizarre as the real election has proven to be, along with the reactions of the American public and world media. Burn After Reading won’t win an Academy Award, but it falls somewhere between Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski on the Coen Scale. **½