When I went into this, I didn't have a really clear picture on what it was about. Everyone is always pretty vague with the plot, but now I kinda know why. It's INSANE! That's why. But I'm not going to hold anything back. Well, maybe one or two twists, but that's it.
Burn After Reading is all about misunderstandings. A government pencil pusher rashly quits his job, putting further strain on his marriage. His wife starts secretly filing for divorce and a copy of his newly started memoirs and their finances get into the hands of the lawyer's secretary and promptly left on the floor of her gym. This is the long round-about way the "top secret" information gets into the hands of our other main characters, the gym employees. The absurd lengths they then go to trying to make a quick fortune is simply unbelievable, and it all gets crazier from there.
I have to say, this movie takes quite a while to really heat up. I liked most of the characters; they were all acted well, if not great like in the examples of John Malkovich and Brad Pitt. However I was really starting to get tired of all the loops, criss-crossing storylines, who is sleeping with who and failing marriages left and right. There's even a set of government agents that explain, or try to explain, what exactly is going on to each other in the form of a briefing. The whole movie was just feeling tired and was starting to lose my attention. That is until about an hour in.
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| My face, minus the bloody nose, at the 1 hour mark |
Now I'm starting to tread on ground I really shouldn't spoil for you. Needless to say this movie surprised me. It was a really slow burn, but once everything hits its boiling point, there's no containing it. The ending, and the direction this movie decides to go in the final act may not be for everyone, but it more than made up for the slower parts of the first 2/3's of it for me. I'm glad I watched it, and I'd say check it out if you're a fan of movies that aren't just your normal meat and potatoes. Oh yeah, and remember those agents I said show up in the middle of the movie? They pop up again at the end, and they're probably the best part of the whole thing!
I liked this movie more than I originally thought I would. And what happens to Brad Pit in the movie surprised the crap out of me.
ReplyDeleteThe way I see it, the whole movie is basically a setup to the punch-line at the end of the movie.
ReplyDeleteI thought the movie was merely okay. Maybe the quirkiness was not the kind of quirky I enjoy.
@Neil that makes total sense to me. Almost the whole movie was this really slow build-up, and the end was quite amusing. I really liked the ending, but it wouldn't have made any sense or been any good without all that build-up. If all that time taken at the start is worth the relatively small payoff at the end is up to each person to decide for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI saw this movie when it came out in the theater and thought at the time that an appropriate alternate title for this movie might have been Americans are Stupid and Think Everyone is out to Get Them, lol. I actually think I might like the movie more now that I've read this review I because I hadn't given it that chance for redemption after the hour of drabbery. Maybe I'll have to see it again now... Great review. :)
ReplyDelete@Stacie Yeah that would fit the movie pretty well. Maybe just skip that first hour :P Thanks for the kind words! :)
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