Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading is not a good film. Despite being directed by the Oscar winning Coen brothers. Despite starring 3 Oscar winning actors in Clooney, Swinton and McDormund. Despite starring Oscar nominated actors in Malkovich and Pitt, Burn After Reading is not a good film.

This is ill-conceived, badly executed and a complete waste of everyone's considerable talents. You almost wonder whether the Coens decided to see if they could dupe audiences into liking something so awful. It plays as if they wrote it on the back of a napkin in a bar one evening - possibly whilst drunkenly celebrating last year's deserved Oscar success. No idea is dismissed as too stupid. No joke is seen as too unfunny. No plot thread is left tied up. What we have is a mish-mash of semi-formed ideas all thrown together with the unifying theme of isn't it funny when these great actors play idiots. Well, frankly, no it isn't.

I have no problem with their "lighter" stuff. After last year's outstanding No Country for Old Men, it was only right that they change pace dramatically, and they've had proven success with this sort of thing. O Brother went down very well, so did The Big Lebowski. For me their most successful foray into light comedy was the grossly under appreciated Intolerable Cruelty. It had a genuine wit throughout with wonderful set ups, charming performances, hilarious visual gags and terrific one liners. Everything in fact lacking in Burn After Reading.

This may get a pass or even a recommendation based on the talent involved but don't be fooled by anyone that tells you this is anything better than average. For my money it is significantly worse. The Coens have followed up their very best film with their very worst*. A real shame.

C-


*Worth pointing out I've seen all their films except The Ladykillers which got slated so may in fact be worse than this. If I'm completely honest I also probably just preferred Fargo to No Country for Old Men.

Miller's Crossing (1990)

One of the Coen brothers earliest films, this violent tale of 1920's gangsters is generally considered one of their finest. The plot revolves around Tom Reagan (Gabriel Byrne), the most trusted advisor to Albert Finney's mob-boss Leo O Bannon, as a war breaks out among warring factions. But whose side is he really on? The issue is complicated by Reagan's feelings towards Verna Bernbaum, O Bannon's girl and the sister of the man who is dividing the two camps. There are multiple twists along the way and the film is sure to keep you guessing, so make sure you concentrate otherwise you might well miss something. I think I would need to see it again to appreciate the full picture, though, perhaps unusually, that is not to the film's credit.

The plot is okay, if contrived, and it gets a little silly towards the end, even though aspects of it sparkle. In terms of gripping story-telling and taught narrative, it cannot stand comparison with the obvious, the first two godfather movies, on whose territory it is definitely trying to muscle in.

However, this film is really all about the performances. In all honestly, they could almost fill the MyFilmVault performance lists all by themselves. It is difficult to know where to start.



The highly watchable Gabriel Byrne is excellent in the lead role. Marcia Gay Harden will top 1990's female performances for a deep, layered and troubled turn as Bernbaum; J.E. Freeman's Dane is a truly fearsome henchman, Jon Polito's brilliantly-named Johnny Caspar is perfectly judged, and John Turturro is very effective when on screen. However, the star of the show is Albert Finney. Finney's character O' Bannon looks on the face of it like a slightly dull, world-weary guy whose possibly just about had enough of the world he inhabits. Until, that is, the bedroom scene where a hard-as-nails Finney confronts the thugs who have entered his home to kill him, and with spectacular results. The coldness and determination in Finney's eyes is remarkable and the character is a superb example of a truly great actor at work. O' Bannon is one of the most living, flesh-and-blood, gangsters ever depicted on screen. He worries, he's nervous, he's calm, he's collected, he's solid, he loses trust and gets it back, he's weary, he's determined, he's relaxed, he's furious and so much else. In short, he's human. And he is far far harder than any action-film muscle bound hulk. I have no doubt who would win in a fight between O Bannon and (Die Hard's) John MacClane. Timothy Olyphant has been recruiting the wrong people. Miller's crossing is worth watching for Finney alone.

In short, the good bits far outweigh the flaws and this is a recommendation quality film. It could, in all good faith, be recommended for Finney alone.

A-