Burn After Reading (2008)

Maher finds the film funny, cruel and faintly depressing, praising its thrillingly barmy ensemble farce. He singles out the characters’ desperate emptiness and the precision with which the plot spirals into grisly violence.

The critic praises the Coens’ skill at blending sophistication with silliness. John Malkovich’s over-the-top performance is singled out for praise.

The review gives the film four out of five stars. The visible text calls it another Coen brothers concoction, but the article body is unavailable, so no specific praise or complaint can be identified.

Phipps finds the film funny but a second-shelf Coen comedy, with its loose plot and lack of a strong protagonist holding it back. He praises the cast’s broadly comic performances, which are almost uniformly funny.

Nathan finds the film initially abrasive but ultimately rewarding, with its offbeat wit lingering after viewing. He particularly praises the precision of its escalating farce and the performances, especially Brad Pitt and George Clooney.

Chocano finds the bleak farce bitterly cathartic. She praises its mordant portrayal of paranoia and the grasping, murderous foolishness of its characters.

Ebert found the film amusing but less satisfying than the Coen brothers’ strongest work. He singled out its comedy of ineptitude, while finding its characters’ foolishness less compelling as the joke continued.

The critic finds the comedy entertaining, though slight and without much to ponder. The performances and broad character drawing are singled out as its strengths.

The critic finds the Coens’ spy-thriller send-up goofy and delightfully lunatic, though its anti-thriller rhythms may take time to settle into. He praises the cast’s comic riffs on their screen personas, especially Brad Pitt’s performance as a clueless gym employee.

The page identifies this as a review, but the text is behind a registration wall. The critic’s verdict and specific praise or complaint are not visible.

The blocked page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It provides no verifiable praise or complaint about the film.

Weber finds the film a tonally uneven but ambitious farce, with an undertow of sadness that gives its state-of-the-union punchline weight. He singles out Malkovich’s astonished reaction to the blackmailer as especially funny.

Ashurst finds the film an entertaining but slight Coen brothers comedy, short of the siblings’ best work. He praises Brad Pitt’s comic performance and the film’s nimble plotting, while faulting its anonymous visuals and characters who are difficult to love.

Denby finds the film bleak and unfunny, with its misanthropy ultimately freezing the comedy. He praises John Malkovich’s finely calibrated performance as the irascible Osborne Cox.

McCarthy finds the comedy overplayed and fundamentally silly, with the film ultimately a failure. He singles out Brad Pitt’s performance as unexpectedly endearing, alongside the Coens’ visual sense.

Bradshaw finds the film a strained, chaotic failure and a major letdown after the Coens’ previous success. He singles out John Malkovich as the strongest contributor, praising the seriousness and emotional force of his performance.

Hogan calls it a wickedly funny, brisk return to form, though it falls short of The Big Lebowski and its plot can feel aimless. He especially praises Brad Pitt’s goofy performance and the film’s sharp editing.

The headline signals a positive review, describing the film as delightful. It singles out the foolish characters as the source of its appeal.

The review finds the film smart and sharply acted, though its technical elements feel deflated. It praises the sharp screenplay and performances, especially Frances McDormand’s comic turn.

The critic finds the Coens’ dark comedy highly effective, even as its familiar chaos carries a political edge. He praises the filmmakers’ unmatched knack for comic crime-gone-wrong stories and highlights the characters’ blinkered idiocy as a troubling reflection of their world.

The critic finds the film a memorable, finely crafted black comedy, though at times its plot is too nutty and reliant on coincidence. Pitt’s phone call to Cox is singled out as one of the film’s most memorable scenes.

Davis judges the film a pointless, disappointing misfire whose promised comic payoff never arrives. He complains that the actors play quirks rather than characters, despite their energetic performances.