Oh man how I love the Coen Brothers. And this film is another reason why. This spy story sifting with stupidity is by far the funniest movie I have seen this year. The writing/directing pair have crafted another great film that blurs the line of the genres it lifts from. It’s bleak, it’s funny, it’s spiteful, all while simultaneously being and not being a typical spy thriller. Just thinking about it now makes me smile and want to see it again soon. Also how can you not love that poster?
So the movie is about a recently terminated CIA analyst Osborne Cox (John Malkovitch) who decides to spend his retirement drinking and writing some memoirs (which he overly pronounces the French). Through a series of follies some of these writings end up in the hands of two gym employees, super naïve, over exuberant Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt) and Linda Litzke (Francis McDormand) who is trying to both find the money to get a bunch of plastic surgery done and find someone through a dating website. They believe this to be highly sensitive information, which they can use as leverage to get some quick cash. Meanwhile, very cold Mrs. Cox (Tilda Swinton) is quickly divorcing her unemployed husband for Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney) who despite also being married and boning Mrs. Cox, trolls internet match sites for other partners as well, including Linda Litzke. And this sets up the story, and, because this is a Coen Brother’s flick, nothing goes right for anyone. I’ll let the film itself take you on its various twists and turns.
A cloak and dagger plot comprised of nothing but morons. Again this is an immensely funny movie with superb performances all around. Clooney and Pitt steal the show with their very different brands of idiots. Malkovitch is great as a pedantic, smug asshole who becomes increasingly frustrated with being fired, being divorced, and having two idiots blackmail him. And then there is the fabulous Tilda Swinton and Francis McDormand who both turn great roles. Also Richard Jenkins and J.K. Simmons have great small roles as CIA higher-ups who are just trying to figure out what the hell’s going on with this cast of characters while still maintaining their distance.
Sure, there are some minor issues. The story takes awhile before the real laughs start coming. They spend some time pushing the boulder up the hill, but then it starts slowly gaining momentum, and soon it’s speeding past the trees, crashing into the little German village below, killing many and completely destroying much of their livelihoods (in this metaphor destruction of a German town signifies enjoyment, and the speed of the boulder is laughter, or something like that, I really stopped paying attention halfway into it). Another thing is that there is no one to root for. These characters are so horrible or so stupid that you have no one to truly empathize with. Malkovitch’s character is too pompous and abrasive. McDormand’s is blindly obsessed with vanity that she becomes more pitied. And while Clooney’s character is certainly endearing, he hardly is involved enough to be the true protagonist of the film. Because of this it could be easy to feel that this film has no heart, like Marge Gunderson was in Fargo. But then again this isn’t a film about heart. This is a film about idiocy. And the fact that this was a cinematic Tin Man didn’t bother me. I don’t think it takes away from the film and it certainly doesn’t from the comedy. Now the only other thing is that with Emmanuel Lubezki (Children of Men) working the camera and the Coens behind it I was hoping for greater visuals. I mean these three have shown utter brilliance in cinematography, and while the film looks fantastic it just wasn’t anything to fawn over, like some of their other films. Though, this is hardly a fair complaint, and it’s possible that I was too busy watching the movie that I wasn’t really watching the camerawork, but still something to bring up.
Highly recommend it. It ranks high amongst the Coen's best work, which pretty much means it's one of the greatest ever made. If you’re a fan of the Coen’s other comedies than this is right up your alley. And if you’re not a fan of the Coen’s other comedies why the hell are you watching movies? Why aren’t you getting a CAT scan to figure out what sort of mental deformities (plural) that you must have? Oh, and why you’re there can you do me a favor and swipe some gauze and morphine?
Rating 8.5/10
