Burn After Reading. (A sort of film review)
April 20th 2009 02:14
Now that was funny
There are filmmakers, and there are people who make films who don’t deserve the title filmmakers. They’re like Christians. ‘In name only.’ Yes, you did make a film. I guess that entitles you to be called a filmmaker. But a shit one.
The Cohen Bros are filmmakers. Jews. Displaced Jews not worrying about the restoration of Israel or the Diaspora. Just making shitloads of money out of filmmaking. By seriously being funny. It’s what they do best. Funded by Jewish bankers but not into conspiracy theories. They know conspiracy theories are real. They’re rich.
I didn’t particularly like Burn After Reading the first time I watched it. But that wasn’t the film’s fault. I’m a moody bitch. I wasn’t in the right mood. Maybe I’d been on Orble that day? I was on the male rags again.
But anyway, I re-watched it. A few times. It just gets better on each watch.
And the bonus features on the DVD were great too. Seeing, listening to the Cohens talk about the film. And their dry soh. They never laugh when they tell a joke. I like that sort of deadpan approach to humour. No LOLs after something funny. They respect their audience.
Casting Brad Pitt as a complete dork, at least gave him something to do acting-wise. He hasn’t been extended much as an actor since Kalifornia. (If you don’t believe Brad Pitt can act? Watch Kalifornia). Pitt’s a bit like De Niro. He just has to play the same role over and over again and watch the bank balance rise. Because apart from the Cohens? Who is writing great scripts where actors have to act outside of typecasting? You have to watch the scenes with Brad Pitt in them to fully appreciate his acting skills. When he gets into the car with ‘Os-borne Cox?’ ??? I mean just the expression on his face when he gets in, reveals how good an actor he is. I’m envious of the guy. Not his acting skills. His bank balance. I’m not envious of his missus. Jolly Angela reminds me too much of my ex. Plus she wants to adopt the entire third world so that people think she’s charitable. I reckon she’d be a complete bitch in real life. She believes too much in the power of the fanny. It’s her faith. Interdenominational I think. Ecumenical, even. She appeals to the modern woman.
And George Clooney really gives Brad Pitt a run for his money as to which attractive man can act the stupidest. That was the one thing I most enjoyed about the film. Two guys that most women on the planet would love to fuck, making complete idiots of themselves. Only to find women still like them cos they're rich.
The Cohens decided to write Burn After Reading with specific actors in mind. Actors they hadn’t worked with before, principally. With a few oldies thrown in for good measure. Well they have to include Franny McDoormat. One of them lives with her. John Malkovich was another actor they hadn’t worked with, and his performance is brilliant. He’s as drunk and angry as an Orbler not on his meds. Well he’s worse than most of the Orble women who refuse to take their meds and would rather rant on Orble. Watch out for the scene of him in his undies. It’s a progressional scene. The disintegration of a male character who is persecuted. (I type nude on Orble. It’s gone way beyond that).
The Cohens were talking about the film and how it was about how middle-aged people were really fucked up, and how they wanted to make a film like that. Then they came up with the idea of the CIA clashes with a gym. It’s like soul ugly meets body beautiful. But it’s not. Body beautiful often = soul ugly. So it’s a film about soul ugly meets soul ugly. Maybe one day someone will write a film about Orble? Burn Before Reading? But Orble aside, it’s a fantastic premise for a film. Film premises that are that simple are bound to be winners in the hands of these two freaks.
The Cohens are masters of dialogue. They never not have something (action) happening. But they are masters of dialogue. They are Tarantino for the thinking man.
There’s one very serious scene in the film. Where the two CIA operatives (boss and understudy) are discussing what’s happened (in the course of the film). With a very deadpan expression, the understudy goes, “It appears everyone is fucking everyone.”
If you like a film that makes you think? Watch it. If you don’t? Read Orble posts.
| 83 |
| Vote |
Comments (10)
Add Comments
Read More
