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Burn After Reading Reviews

2008 DVD Certificate 15.gif
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 61,623 members

An all-star cast, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and John Malkovich, come together in this outrageous spy comedy about murder, blackmail, sex addiction and physical fitness! When a disc filled with some of the CIA's most irrelevant secrets gets in the hands of two determined, but dim-.. Read more

Starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton
Director Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Genres Comedy

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  • Critics' reviews (2) of Burn After Reading

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  • Take an adulterous couple (Tilda Swinton and George Clooney). Add an angry but oblivious husband who has just been laid off by the CIA (John Malkovich). Throw in a rogue computer disc... read more »

    • Avatar image
    • Tom Charity, 
    • LOVEFiLM
  • 4 stars out of

    With their hangdog mugs now nestled against the bosom of mainstream Hollywood, indie-crossover darlings the Coen... read more on Time Out

    • David Jenkins, 
    • Time Out
  • Most helpful members' reviews (3) of Burn After Reading

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  • 260 out of 325 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

      • bfaulk44 from Bridgwater
  • 116 out of 133 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 0 stars

    What a load of rubbish!!!

    Went to watch this at the cinema last night and is the first time I have ever walked out of a film! It was sooooo boring - from start to the point of leaving (45 minutes). Some people did kind of laugh at the odd bit, but I wasn't sure what they were laughing at. If you are suffering from insomnia then this will surely send you on your way to sleep!

      • Stegsi from Pontefract
  • 96 out of 104 people found this review helpful

    * * * This review contains spoilers * * *ShowHide

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    superb................................

  • Most recent members' reviews (2) of Burn After Reading

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  • 20 out of 21 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 1 star

    Burn after watching

    If it were possible, I would like to have the 96 minutes of my life spent watching this film returned to me ASAP! Absolute drivel, Pitt is weak, Clooney was disappointing (too be kind) and the the female actors were pathetic. John Malkovich was the only interesting character that was not developed to its comedic potential.

    They story line is non existent as is the comedy. Possibly the worst comedy I have ever seen.

    I regard myself as a positive reviewer and I always find a good aspect of a film, but unfortunately I have failed miserably with this overrated picture.

      • RashRob from Altrincham
  • 5 out of 7 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 1 star [Highly rated reviewer]

    Burn After Reading

    Biggest load of rubbish I've seen in ages. Think the title of the film means what they should have done to the script!

  • 260 out of 325 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

      • bfaulk44 from Bridgwater
  • 116 out of 133 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 0 stars

    What a load of rubbish!!!

    Went to watch this at the cinema last night and is the first time I have ever walked out of a film! It was sooooo boring - from start to the point of leaving (45 minutes). Some people did kind of laugh at the odd bit, but I wasn't sure what they were laughing at. If you are suffering from insomnia then this will surely send you on your way to sleep!

      • Stegsi from Pontefract
  • 96 out of 104 people found this review helpful

    * * * This review contains spoilers * * *ShowHide

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    superb................................

  • 55 out of 67 people found this review helpful

    * * * This review contains spoilers * * *ShowHide

    Rated - 0 stars

    Don't waste your time.

      • A customer from London
  • 45 out of 51 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 1 star

    dreadful

    Having sat through this drivel for one and a half hours it was a relief when it finished. I find it hard to believe that anyone capable of directing a film of the quality of no country for old men could put their name to this (however I also found the big labowski equally irritating) The plot is directionless, the funny moments few and far between and interspersed with random and pointless violence. Judging by the wall of total silence throughout the supposed comedy film, I wasn’t the only one sorely disappointed.

      • A customer from east dulwich
  • 40 out of 42 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 0 stars

    Poor Show

    I've never left a review about a film before but felt that it was my duty to warn people about this film. I went to see it last night. I either blinked and missed the best bits or it was completely rubbish. The story line was just ridicious. When it finished I realised that I would never get those 96 minutes back.

    To be fair, John Malkvoich was funny in it but the rest of the film was just pointless. The story line was only held together by Pitt and Clooney's presents. If they weren't in it, it would have flopped straight away. Everyone raved about the next Coen brothers film and I can safely say that I will give it a second thought going to see their next release.

      • A customer from Wales
  • 37 out of 39 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 0 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    Burn Before Viewing

    A new film from the Coens is one of the highlights of my year. I've grown up on their films and which ever way they've turned I've followed. The Big Lebowski is one of my top 5 films of all times.

    Therefore trust me when i say this film is awful.

    It is utterly devoid of pace, plot or wit, it has a great cast but no script.

    Despite its 96min running time it seemed like one of the longest most drawn out films I have ever endured.

    How this film has ganered so many positive reviews is beyond my ken.

    BURN BEFORE VIEWING ..................... you have been warned.

      • jmac from Northampton
  • 35 out of 40 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 0 stars

    cack, cack, cack

    I Watched this film at the cinema and wished I had waited until it was available on DVD, because it falls under the 20 MINUTE RULE. I will watch any film for 20 minutes, and then if necessary turn it off. If I hadn,t paid good money to watch this film I would have walked out of the cinema. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not inflict this drivel on yourself. Even with George Clooney and Brad Pitt, it is Dull

      • A customer from Oldham
  • 28 out of 31 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    Brilliant - one of the best comedies in years

    Well I've been lucky enough to have gone to a preview screening of this latest Coen brothers comedy and was not disappointed at all. This film is like a crazy mix of Fargo violence and Big Lebowski humour. All the actors are absolutely superb and the film is very lush to look at, beautifully shot. Well worth watching over and over again and I think a bit of a future cult classic right up there with Lebowski. It was very refreshing going to the cinema and having every single person crying with laughter. Amazing!!!!

      • ninka from London
  • 26 out of 26 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars

    Slow and pointless

    The first review I've been moved to write! This was so slow, the plot insomuch as there was one was totally unbelievable. Whilst some people laughed I honestly can't see why!

    The violence seemed out of keeping with the 'farce' type nature of the plot. Couldn't wait for it to finish, very disappointed

      • A customer from essex
  • Critics' reviews (2)

  • Take an adulterous couple (Tilda Swinton and George Clooney). Add an angry but oblivious husband who has just been laid off by the CIA (John Malkovich). Throw in a rogue computer disc... read more »

    • Avatar image
    • Tom Charity, 
    • LOVEFiLM
  • 4 stars out of

    With their hangdog mugs now nestled against the bosom of mainstream Hollywood, indie-crossover darlings the Coen... read more on Time Out

    • David Jenkins, 
    • Time Out

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    • An all-star cast, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and John Malkovich, come together in this outrageous spy comedy about murder, blackmail, sex addiction and ...

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    • An all-star cast, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and John Malkovich, come together in this outrageous spy comedy about murder, blackmail, sex addiction and ...

Rating breakdown

61,623 Member ratings
  • 100
2,971
  • 90
2,538
  • 80
10,095
  • 70
10,341
  • 60
13,486
  • 50
6,339
  • 40
6,850
  • 30
2,536
  • 20
4,196
  • 10
2,271

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