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Burn After Reading (2008)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
12 September 2008 (USA) moreTagline:
Intelligence is relative. morePlot:
A disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees who attempt to sell it. full summary | full synopsisAwards:
Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 9 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(491 articles)
George Clooney as Jack Ryan? (From Get The Big Picture. 6 July 2009, 2:47 PM, PDT)
Matt Damon Loves Corn! Corn And Justice!
(From Twitch. 2 July 2009, 4:11 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
The Coens deserved a break after the epic "No Country". They took one. moreUS TV Schedule:
| Thur. July 16 | 3:35 AM | HBO | |||
| Tue. July 21 | 12:20 AM | HBO |
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| George Clooney | ... | Harry Pfarrer | |
| Frances McDormand | ... | Linda Litzke | |
| Brad Pitt | ... | Chad Feldheimer | |
| John Malkovich | ... | Osbourne Cox | |
| Tilda Swinton | ... | Katie Cox | |
| Richard Jenkins | ... | Ted Treffon | |
| Elizabeth Marvel | ... | Sandy Pfarrer | |
| David Rasche | ... | CIA Officer | |
| J.K. Simmons | ... | CIA Superior | |
| Olek Krupa | ... | Krapotkin | |
| Michael Countryman | ... | Alan | |
| Kevin Sussman | ... | Tuchman Marsh Man | |
| J.R. Horne | ... | Divorce Lawyer | |
| Hamilton Clancy | ... | Peck | |
| Armand Schultz | ... | Olson |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence.Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
96 minLanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreCertification:
USA:R (certificate #44448) | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-13 | Australia:MA | Singapore:M18 (cut) | Singapore:NC-16 (video rating) (heavily cut) | UK:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Sweden:15 | Norway:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Japan:PG-12 | Czech Republic:15 | Peru:14 | France:U | South Korea:18 | Iceland:14 (video rating) | Iceland:16 (original rating)Filming Locations:
Bronx Community College - University Avenue at West 181 Street, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA moreFun Stuff
Trivia:
George Clooney's second film opposite Tilda Swinton following Michael Clayton (2007) the year before. While in this film they play lovers, in the other they are rivals. moreGoofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The CIA Supervisor states that Venezuela does not have an extradition treaty with the US. Venezuela has had a bilateral extradition treaty with the US since 1923. moreSoundtrack:
Judy moreFAQ
What are the songs from the trailer?A Note Regarding Spoilers
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
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Allstar cast. Allstar directors. Must-see film? No. And it's not even an interesting failure. What we have is a collection of forty-somethings being content to coast on their reputations, desperately looking for a fresh face to infuse some life in the proceedings. "Burn after Reading" wants to be a farce, but forgets to be funny. It pretends to tell us something about the world we live in, but does so shallowly. And on top of that, it seems to present a negative world view for the sake of it, which is borderline unethical coming from people as talented as this.
Now, if you're a Clooney/Malkovich/McDormand/Pitt/Coen-fan and must see this movie, I won't stop you. There are some enjoyable moments, and you'll occasionally laugh. I guess Pitt IS funny as sports instructor, and Malkovich is always good when he's just being John Malkovich. But in the end, "Burn After Reading" is a hollow exercise in black comedy that never bites, never connects, and wastes millions of acting talent on a throwaway script that could have used a LOT of seasoning.