Disappointing
Added 2/7/2010
Nope. It looks like they ran out of money before finishing this film, or just couldn't come up with a good ending. The thrust of the plot is a ripoff of CHU CHU AND THE PHILLY FLASH which starred Alan Arkin and Carol Burnett as a couple of bums who try to get a reward for returning some secret documents they found. Here it's a couple of gym employees trying to get a reward for some secrets on a computer disk they found. There are some parallel subplots about the owner of the disk, his wife's boyfriend, and some coincidental path-crossing, and some of it is funny; but not as funny as the old Alan Arkin film. However, I would have like it well enough until they failed to show the end of each of the parallel stories, instead having framing characters tell what happened.
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Great Coen brothers movie
Added 2/6/2010
This is hysterically funny! Well worth watching, both to see Brad Pitt get punched in the face, and to see George Clooney play an idiot. Creative plot, funny movie!
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Not Up To Usual Coen Bros Standard
Added 2/2/2010
I love almost every thing that the Coen brothers have done but this one just didn't work for me.
Unlike their other films which are clever and compelling (and often funny) this one had a half-baked thrown together feel for me.
Some characters have pronounced quirks (meant to be clever no doubt) that get forgotten after a few scenes while others don't appear to have any motivation for the things they do at all.
While the actors do their best their talents are wasted here.
Like my subject header says; This is simply not on par with the kind of writing that we all know the Coen's are capable of.
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Good but strange.
Added 2/1/2010
I wasn't really sure what to expect when I rented this.
I figured with all the big names it might be decent.
The good?
Great acting.
Great directing.
A truly weird and totally unbelievable story line, but still a fun story line.
I like the bald guy who swears all the time and the fact that he punches Pitt right in the nose makes him that much more likeable. :)
The bad?
Some people may be turned off by the story line.
That's really all I can think of.
Burn After Reading is one of the strangest films I've seen in a long time.
I give it four for being totally original and innovative.
Kudos to the entire cast for taking such a risk with this film.
Most directors aren't willing to do that nowadays.
I give Burn After Reading....
Four stars and a rental recommendation.
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Don't Burn after Viewing
Added 2/1/2010
This is one of the best Coen brothers releases to date. The dark comedic pairing of Clooney and Pitt, the ironic absurdity of the story line with twists and turns.... it's all memorable and classic Coen. This is one you want to see more than once,to catch all of the nuances that you may miss as you're rolling in the aisles during particular scenes. So definitely DON'T BURN after viewing!
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Disappointing
Added 2/7/2010
Nope. It looks like they ran out of money before finishing this film, or just couldn't come up with a good ending. The thrust of the plot is a ripoff of CHU CHU AND THE PHILLY FLASH which starred Alan Arkin and Carol Burnett as a couple of bums who try to get a reward for returning some secret documents they found. Here it's a couple of gym employees trying to get a reward for some secrets on a computer disk they found. There are some parallel subplots about the owner of the disk, his wife's boyfriend, and some coincidental path-crossing, and some of it is funny; but not as funny as the old Alan Arkin film. However, I would have like it well enough until they failed to show the end of each of the parallel stories, instead having framing characters tell what happened.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Great Coen brothers movie
Added 2/6/2010
This is hysterically funny! Well worth watching, both to see Brad Pitt get punched in the face, and to see George Clooney play an idiot. Creative plot, funny movie!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Not Up To Usual Coen Bros Standard
Added 2/2/2010
I love almost every thing that the Coen brothers have done but this one just didn't work for me.
Unlike their other films which are clever and compelling (and often funny) this one had a half-baked thrown together feel for me.
Some characters have pronounced quirks (meant to be clever no doubt) that get forgotten after a few scenes while others don't appear to have any motivation for the things they do at all.
While the actors do their best their talents are wasted here.
Like my subject header says; This is simply not on par with the kind of writing that we all know the Coen's are capable of.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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