Burn After Reading: Difference between revisions

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''Burn After Reading'' is a 2008 [[Black Comedy]] film written, produced and directed by [[The Coen Brothers]], starring [[John Malkovich]], [[George Clooney]], [[Tilda Swinton]], [[Frances Mc Dormand]] and [[Brad Pitt]]. Best summed up by critic James Christopher as a "brilliant joke about a staple Hollywood genre. It is a surreal satire about spy thrillers. Indeed, the spies and thrills don't add up at all. The plot is a total mistake. The characters are madly absurd. The film shouldn't work, but it does."

* [[Bloody Hilarious]]

* [[Buffy-Speak]]

* [[Chekhov's Gun]]: Literally, with Harry's gun.

* [[The Chew Toy]]: Extreme examples with Ted and Chad. Just about everyone else in the plot is a self-centered sociopath who can't recognize they aren't the most important person in the universe. These two actually decide to help someone else. Think they'll be rewarded for their efforts, or even appreciated? Not in this plot...

** Course, she's not without her bright spots. She was genuinely concerned for Chad's whereabouts.

* [[Leaning on the Fourth Wall]]:

'''Linda:''' That's right, Ted. I would be laughed out of Hollywood. }}

* [[Love Makes You Dumb]]: The Hard Bodies Manager.

** {{spoiler|Shot, but survived, only to be beaten to death in the middle of the street.}} All karma is reversed.

* [[Noodle Incident]]: Gym manager Ted's former career:

'''Ted''': Well... it's a long story. Anyway, in a lot of ways I'm happier now. My point is it's a journey. }}

* [[Oblivious to Love]]: Ted's love for Linda.

** Also, Ted, the sole voice of reason amongst his colleagues at Hardbodies - and who is always ignored. Poor Ted.

* [[Precision F-Strike|Precision S Strike]]: Chad, to the most hilarious effect.

* [[Properly Paranoid]]: Though [[Wrong Genre Savvy|not for the proper reason]].

* [[Really Gets Around]]: Harry.

* [[Second Hand Storytelling]]: The ending. And ''it works''.

* [[Shaggy Dog Story]]: About 2/5 of the cast.

'''CIA Superior:''' Jesus fucking Christ. }}

* [[Shoot the Shaggy Dog]]: A different 2/5 of the cast. In fact, Linda is the only character to get anything out of the story, getting the CIA to pay for her surgeries