Iffy for 16+
Quirky, violent Coen comedy isn't meant for kids.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this quirky comic thriller has much in common with others in the Coen brothers' canon: It's very funny and very violent. There's plenty of sex (though not much nudity) and swearing ("f--k"s galore), and characters drink, like, manipulate, and whatever else they need to do to promote their own selfish interests. But teens may still want to see it, both because it stars Brad Pitt and George Clooney and because so many of the Coens' previous comedies have become cult favorites (Fargo, Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski).
- Families can talk about whether any of the characters in the movie can be considered role models. What motivates them to behave the way they do? What do they have in common with characters in other Coen brothers movies? How does the movie as a whole stack up against the Coens' other films? Families can also discuss how a mountain is made out of a molehill in the movie. How does the situation escalate so quickly? Teens: Have you ever found yourself in circumstances that spun out of control? What did you do?
The good stuff
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Messages: Everyone in the movie is a liar, pursuing selfish ends. Husbands and wives cheat on each other; one man trolls online dating sites for sex partners and then lies shamelessly to get them into bed; another hides the fact that he's been fired; and two other people try to pass themselves off as spies to sell stolen documents. Even the characters who initially seem like good people end up displaying their darker, pettier side.
What to watch for
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Violence: Several moments of violence -- involving fists, guns, knives, and an axe -- pop up so suddenly that they're quite startling. The fights are realistic, bloody, and gory. People are killed, their bodies disposed of. Some characters also use cars as weapons, intentionally ramming into other vehicles.
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Sex: Some scenes show people having sex -- sound effects, but no nudity. The couples are shown talking in bed afterward, presumably naked under the covers. One character builds an elaborate sex chair with an extremely crass sexual accessory, which he shows off to a date.
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Language: Plenty of swearing, including "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," and more. Every character's vocabulary is liberally peppered with curses.
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Consumerism: Some brands of alcohol are referred to by name and/or shown on screen. Several characters' cars are shown repeatedly, including their logos. One fitness-obsessed man is insulted when his fancy bike is described as a "Schwinn." He's also practically glued to his iPod. There are mentions of PCs, Macs, and Gatorade, as well as logos for Safeway, 7-Eleven, and Tropicana.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Osborne Cox drinks often, and some scenes show him carefully preparing his beverages. In several scenes, he's clearly drunk. A coworker says Cox has a drinking problem, sending him into a rage.
Fan Reviews provided by
4
Five Word Review by redyeah
This is comedy done right!
5
Wait. Hold On. What? by robbiewf
I can't yet decide whether I was more delighted by the overall scrumptious weirdness of the plot or by the brilliantly balanced weirdness of the characters. As a whole, an entirely smartly entertaining grotesque as you would hope for in a Coen production.
I am still chuckling at the McDormand-Pitt combination. Hilarious. I think they steal the movie.
3
Burned by randomo
Film wasn't too bad - I enjoy dark, dry humor - but I really expected more laughs in this one. Brad Pitt displayed excellent comedic timing in Mr. and Mrs. Smith and I hoped for the same in this movie, but felt he was too over-the-top and didn't deliver except for a couple scenes. I liked how the storyline kept moving though and also the surprise ending. This movie is more "DVD-rental" worthy instead of "theater-going" worthy.
4
Burn After Reading by Richmi
I'll preface this by saying that I am a "non-religious" person, because I can't help but wonder if this movie was intended to be a film about several people indulging in the various "7 deadly sins" and reaping their unfavorable results. Just about every major character went through a lot of self-created misery over, basically, nothing but their own misperceptions of various situations and things.
This film could have easily been titled, "Much Ado About Nothing"...which is what made it hilarious to me at the end. It might make it easier on the viewer to understand that, although the movie does have some funny parts in it, my impression was that the film was created like a joke... the whole film building up to the ridiculous punchline in the very last minutes.
There are some lessons to be learned from this film. Or not. :-)
Addendum: The critic reviews on this site by the LA Times and USA Today do a good job of giving you a sense of what to expect.
4
Burn After Reading by pignalberi
This was a thoroughly entertaining and very enjoyable, funny movie. In the black humor of the Coen Brothers. The super star cast was terrific! Each actor (Pitt, Clooney, Malkovich, McDormand, etc.) portrayed their character superbly! The best thing I can say is that I would watch it a second time........a step that usually only Russell Crowe persuades me to take!!
5
EXCELLENT FILM--WE LOVED IT by I_Love_America2008
Really enjoyed this one. Once you get used to the randomness of the story and undestand how well satire is being used, it is freakin hilarious. I really loved the scenes with J.K. Simmons--he plays a charactor within the movie trying to figure out what the heck is going on. Some folks just won't "get" this movie. ..well I guess that is why they make moveis like "House Bunny" too.
1
Would rather watch paint dry!!! by KyBlue
I would not watch this movie again if I was paid to. I went with teenagers and my husband. We left 30 minutes into it. Crude sexual content. It tops my list of the most stupid movie ever made. I set up this account so people don't waste their money on this crap. "Burn instead of watching"
1
Misleading Movie Trailers; Crappy Movie by lorna072001
I have never written a review on fandango before, but after watching this movie, I felt so passionate to let everyone know how terrible it is, that I just went ahead and signed up for an account. I was excited to watch this movie, as the movie trailers made me believe it was going to be a goofy comedy. Specifically, it was awesome to see Brad Pitt play this quirky, goofy role. It truly shows his talents and I wish he did more. But, without spoiling it for everyone, he isn't in the movie for long. I think Brad Pitt being in this movie is the ONLY reason to watch it.
This movie was totally not what I thought it was. I thought it was going to be a fun comedy, but it is fact a black comedy. Totally not what I expected AND it doesn't make sense AT ALL! I thought things were going to come together at the end, but nope! It doesn't make sense at all and it totally drags!
In short, this movie is a "netflix" calibur movie. Don't waste your money in the theatres for this.
5
If you like the Cohen Brothers then see this movie by louischester
I just finished watching this movie and am sitting here reading the reviews that almost made me not go and laughing. I am not a snob when it comes to movies, but I really don't understand why people don't get this movie. This is a very funny movie. It is not obvious "oh, laugh now because this is where the guy gets it in the crotch" humor, but it is funny, very funny. And although I did find it to be a comedy, I really thought of it more as a satire of and comment on the whole spy thriller genre. I felt that all the heavy handed percussive sound track, goofy intrigue and overly elaborate plot set ups were really just the Cohen brothers laughing along with us as they give us their take on the Hollywood spy thriller.
If you look at this in the context of the body of their work it fits. It's funny, well crafted, well cast and is a pleasure to watch. I don't think this is their best work to date but it is certainly worth seeing.
5
Burn After Reading by bmuniz
A stellar cast with terrific acting. I came to appreciate Brad Pitt's ability to play a "doofus" and a great comedic character in an entirely new light. I rate this movie highly, it easily compares to The Big Lewbowski, O Brother Where Art Thou and Fargo - the Coen trilogy that has long marked the high water mark of film satire and comedy. No longer a trio, now it's a quartet. From wonderful humor and incitful glimpses of human nature and motivation, like all Coen films it stretches reality to the limits of absurdity, and when it stretches back we are entertained and enlightened. There isn't a weak character or a weak moment in this movie. I laughed out loud from opening sequence to the bitter end - and even had to linger for the final notes of the soundtrack. Do yourself a favor and see this movie more than once.