Burn After Reading

[Ran]

John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and others get together for an ironic spin story. Sounds good right? Yeah, you'd think but sadly not so.

The movie attempts to deliver a comedy with a twist of irony in it's attempted serious undertone. Brad Pitt's character is perhaps the most humorous of the primary cast with George Clooney coming in a distant second. Excessive language, an improper flow of story, and no truly comfortable characters combines to suck the humor out of an otherwise promising film. Ah, let's not forget the two scenes of graphic gore thrown in for shock treatment. That did wonders for the film. The first being a shock attempt and able to work back into the film, but the second being far too late in the film and unable to reset the original tone. The irony of the entire situation is witty, but buried so far under a pile of crap that it really loses it's charm and is lost in the flurry of unnecessary information.

The only real saving grace of this film was Brad Pitt and the CIA Superior played by J.K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson from Spider-man). His witty disregard for the public good and cover-up of the situation added some much needed lines to the film. The ending being by far one of the best I've heard in a while.

CIA Superior: "So, what did we learn today?"
CIA Agent: "I...don't know, sir."
CIA Superior: "Well hell if I know either. I guess...we learned not to do it again."
Cia Agent: "Yes sir."
CIA Superior: "Hell if I know what we did to begin with."

Indeed.

Burn After Reading: C-

[Hulud]

my guess is you didnt like Fargo either.

my grade: B+

"haha you think thats a schwinn"

[Ran]

my guess is you didnt like Fargo either.

I haven't seen Fargo so I couldn't tell you.

This movie tried to be funny but ruined the entire experience with unnecessary scenes and clutter. The "attack in the street" scene, for instance, was completely unnecessary and pretty much ruined my entire experience. I like gore and what-not, but everything has it's place and it was not warranted here. Chad (Brad Pitt) and the CIA Superior (J.K. Simmons) were the only real characters that I enjoyed in this movie.

[Sport1.3]

This thread:C

[Hulud]

I haven't seen Fargo so I couldn't tell you.

This movie tried to be funny but ruined the entire experience with unnecessary scenes and clutter. The "attack in the street" scene, for instance, was completely unnecessary and pretty much ruined my entire experience. I like gore and what-not, but everything has it's place and it was not warranted here. Chad (Brad Pitt) and the CIA Superior (J.K. Simmons) were the only real characters that I enjoyed in this movie.

for you i would say dont watch fargo its the same quirky humor.

its really hit or miss for most people.

how was it not warranted? just because you felt it was not needed? its the cohen brothers so you should have expected some blood.

[Hulud]

This thread:C

lol

[Ran]

for you i would say dont watch fargo its the same quirky humor.

I've nothing against quirky humor. Hell I loved Resevoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. This movie? Not so much. It tried to combine too many elements and failed to really achieve at any of them.

how was it not warranted? just because you felt it was not needed? its the cohen brothers so you should have expected some blood.

It was too out of place for the film. How does a film go from laughing at a paranoid womanizer to watching a man get graphically butchered in the middle of the street? Again, it was unnecessary and done in bad taste.

[alpine_aw11]

I really wanted to see this, I probably still will. Sounds like it might cater to my weird sense of humor.

[HeLLo iM iZzY]

"Served and witnessed"

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

LOLOLOL.

[Deke]

my guess is you didnt like Fargo either.

Haha, that was the first thing that came to my mind.


I haven't seen Burn After Reading yet, but I'm most definitely planning on it.

[Ran]

"Served and witnessed"

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

LOLOLOL.

That scene was pretty clever. lol

[The_ CaneCorso]

for you i would say dont watch fargo its the same quirky humor.

its really hit or miss for most people.

Like snatch?

[eViLMunkey]

I thought it was hilarious, and no it's nothing like Snatch