Intelligence is relative.|Sep. 05, 2008|United States | United Kingdom | France|96 Min.|R
Genre: Comedy;Drama
Description: “Burn After Reading” (2008) is a dark comedy that follows the chaotic life of Osbourne Cox, a CIA analyst who quits his job after being demoted and decides to write a memoir. His wife, Katie, a pediatrician, sees this as an opportunity to file for divorce and continue her affair with Harry Pfarrer, a paranoid U.S. Marshal. Katie’s lawyer advises her to copy her husband’s financial records and files, which accidentally include the draft of Osbourne’s memoir. These files are mistakenly left on a CD in a gym locker room, where they are discovered by two gym employees, Chad Feldheimer and Linda Litzke.
Believing the CD contains classified government information, Chad and Linda hatch a plan to return it to Osbourne for a cash reward. When their attempt fails, they try to sell it to the Russian embassy, unaware that the official they meet is a CIA spy. Meanwhile, Osbourne’s erratic behavior leads Katie to change the locks on their house and invite Harry to move in. Coincidentally, Harry begins dating Linda after meeting her online.
Desperate to deliver more files to the Russians, Linda convinces Chad to break into Osbourne’s house to steal additional documents. However, Chad is caught by Harry, who shoots and kills him. Harry searches Chad’s body but finds no clues to his identity, leaving him puzzled. This series of misunderstandings and mishaps escalates into a farcical chain of events.
“Burn After Reading” is a satirical take on espionage, relationships, and human folly, filled with twists and absurdity.
Cast director: Joel Coen
Cast actor: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, Elizabeth Marvel, David Rasche, J.K. Simmons, Olek Krupa
Original name: Burn After Reading