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 Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:26 am |
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BURN AFTER READING
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 2008 David N. Butterworth
*** (out of ****)
There are elements of several decent Coen Brothers movies in the
new Coen Brothers movie "Burn After Reading" (or "BrÃ>>lure Après Lecture"
to Coen a phase), what with Frances McDormand's ditzy Linda Litzke
(memoirs of pregnant Police Chief Marge Gunderson in "Fargo") and her
relationship with her Hardbodies Fitness Center co-worker Chad
Feldheimer (reminiscent of that between H.I. and Ed McDunnough in
"Raising Arizona") not to mention a few lackluster ones--bureaucratic
boardroom bunglings at the Federal level mirror their "'Hudsucker'"
shenanigans rubbing corporeal shoulders with George Clooney's
ever-present trademark smirk (shades of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and
"'Cruelty" of the intolerable kind).
Yet on a different level the new one plays like a darkly comic take
on "Michael Clayton" (Clooney once more, butting heads and other body
parts with a tempestuous Tilda Swinton in both outings) or a teaser for
a yet unrealized Steven Soderbergh "Ocean" project with Clooney and
William Bradley Pitt (Feldheimer herein) already payrolled. And then
there's John Malkovich who, beyond simply being John Malkovich (of
course), lends this comedy-drama a certain bald-pated, F-bomb-laden *je
ne sais quoi*.
Osbourne "Ozzie" Cox (Being John) is a CIA agent with a level 3
security clearance and a drinking problem, the latter of which prompts
his early "retirement" as "Burn After Reading" opens. Outraged by his
unjust dismissal, Ozzie decides to write a tell-all book, much to the
amusement of his wife Katie (Swinton), who herself is having a tryst
with Clooney's Harry Pfarrer, a former Treasury man.
Before long Ozzie's former secretary has misplaced a critical data
disc at the local gym and its discovery (by the iffy Chad) initiates a
typically Coen-centric blackmail plot (ala "Fargo") since blonding Linda
really needs the money for bombshell boobs.
While the writing isn't quite as tight or as funny as it might have
been--writing, directing, and producing duties are this time credited to
*both* brothers--the strength of this slow "Burn'" comes via its
fully-realized characterizations--its performers certainly work
overtime! McDormand's Linda is, essentially, a riff on Marge G. but
it's an honest one, punctuated by this Internet dater's passionate
belief in bettering her body for the good of mankind. Pitt's boyish
Chad is a self-deprecating stab at his pretty-boy persona, deliciously
delivered. Even Clooney's annoying smugness is downplayed considerably
here; Harry obsesses (at least early on in the script before the Coens
lose his estimable way) about what he puts in his mouth and floor
coverings with equal appreciation.
Richard Jenkins ("The Visitor," "High Country") contributes another
worthwhile performance as Linda and Chad's meek Hardbodies boss who
ultimately falls afoul of Malkovich's furious hatchetman and both David
Rasche and J. K. Simmons (Spidey's J. Jonah Jameson) lend consistently
droll plot assists as government suits whose "intelligence is relative."
Sandwiched between its Google Earth-inspired opening and closing
shots the entertaining "Burn After Reading" is a pleasant return to the
silliness of the Coens' earlier pictures from the stiltedness of their
latter-day offerings. It's "a bright American farce."
--
David N. Butterworth, Film Editor
www.offoffoff.com/film | dnb at (no spam) dca.net |
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