Movie Review: Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading: This is the new feature by the always risky and always brilliant Cohen Brothers, who brought us Fargo, Oh Brother! Where Art Thou, No Country for Old Men (based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy), and my favorite, Raising Arizona, among others. We have certain expectations from Joel and Ethan, which include sparkling and occasionally bizarre dialogue, more twists than a barber poll, and an ending that might have nothing to do with the rest of the story. My kind of movie.
The plot centers around a series of unfortunate and unconnected events which placed sensitive CIA information in the hands of a pair of ne’r-do-wells, both of whom work at a local health club. (Brad Pit and Frances McDormand.) John Malkovich lost the CD during a career meltdown. His wife is having an affair with George Clooney, former US Marshall, now indeterminate Homeland Security agent, who then meets McDormand and starts diddling her as well. McDormand hatches a plot to blackmail the CIA guy so she can pay for twelve females worth of plastic surgery and “remake” herself. In the meantime . . . .
I hold the Cohen brothers to a high standard. Based on that standard, this movie is superior to 90% of the offerings from Hollyweird. Based on their other movies, this one falls a bit short. I think they all just wanted to have some fun. As far as I can tell, the movie is primarily a vehicle for Pitt and Clooney to be silly. Which they do quite well on screen, but even better when talking politics. I have no specific beef, other than Malcovich’s characters penchant for spewing spittle with the F word, which he does constantly. I was just hoping for more.
If you like the Cohen boys, you’ll like this one. It’s not for everybody. Nita would have walked out two minutes in. It just wasn’t memorable. Rated R.