AFTER the agonising tension and brutality of their Oscar-winning opus No Country For Old Men, writer-directors Joel and Ethan Coen return to comedic territory with this pithy tale of espionage and infidelity, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
Burn After Reading is not classic Coen brothers fare, but there are enough flashes of brilliance to keep us smirking for almost the entire 95 minutes. A large proportion of those laughs are reserved for Brad Pitt, who slicks up his hair and gamely throws himself into the role of a dim-witted gym employee. Whether he is dancing goofily to music on his MP3 player or attempting to conceal his identity by adopting a ridiculous raspy voice, we cannot help but chuckle at his misadventures.
The double-act with Frances McDormand’s cosmetic-surgery-obsessed spinster is a joy to behold.
The coup de grace is a genius invention, hidden from prying eyes in a cellar, which will be the envy of every frustrated housewife.
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