I figure we’ll all be old men before the Coen brothers start digging the special edition thing. The DVD of their latest movie, Burn After Reading, is slim on extras. Let’s see if I can learn to stop worrying about the special features and love the movie.
Mixing comedy, drama, and the spy thriller, the film captures the chaos unleashed when the CIA fires one angry and pompous analyst named Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich). He’s oblivious that his wife, Katie (Tilda Swinton), aims to divorce him for U.S Marshal Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney). Cox is also shocked to learn that two dopes working at a gym have stolen a copy of his memoirs. One of them, Linda Litzke (Francis McDormand), is foolishly bent on undergoing expensive plastic surgery. The other, the vapid Chad Feldheimer, thinks the pages are classified CIA intelligence. They decide to blackmail Cox to pay for Linda's operations.
Burn After Reading boasts great actors’ performances in both major and supporting roles. The best include Brad Pitt as the doofus gym instructor and J.K Simmons (a.k.a. Juno’s Dad) as the hilarious CIA director who can’t comprehend the stupid events he’s witnessing. I liked watching vain, uptight people screwing each other. Washington D.C is definitely not smarter than Hollywood.
It’s one of the funniest comedies of 2008, but I’m fine with watching it on cable TV. Characters acting like an idiots is not a sufficient reason to watch Burn After Reading repeatedly. Stronger Coen brothers films like The Big Lebowski and No Country For Old Men load up on bizarre scenes. Yes, Burn After Reading features the weirdest sex toy depicted in a mainstream film, but it ends too quickly without more oddball moments. Such a minor hit needs supplements to make the DVD look appealing. Unfortunately, the Coens treat this video no differently than their previous bare-bones releases.
Barely more than 15 minutes long, three featurettes describe Burn After Reading in general terms. “Finding the Burn” quickly summarizes the movies themes by interviewing the directors and stars. The explanations are obvious if you watched the film. Both Coens give pretty vague answers.
In “DC Insiders Run Amuck,” the actors describe their characters. Again we don’t learn anything in depth. They play dumb, angry people. Geez, wow man! We do learn how designers matched the costumes and hairstyles to the characters. Finding locations around New York City to pass for Washington D.C. is a bit interesting. You’ll be disappointed, though, if you want to know why Clooney’s character is addicted to jogging and sex. Lastly, “Welcome Back George” is a bit of shameless sucking up to George Clooney.
I know not every movie can have tons of material to look at. But even the Coens’ best movies lack a commentary track. I don’t want to shame the talented duo, but Matthew McConaughey recorded a commentary for his newest direct-to-video, Surfer, Dude.
Grade: B-
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