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Burn After Reading Movie Review Summary

Actors: Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Burn After Reading


CIA analyst Osbourne Cox quits his job due to a drinking problem and decides to write a tell all book about his life as a spy. His wife Katie, who is cheating on him with a treasury department agent named Harry, uses this as an excuse to leave him and she copies all of his financial and memoir computer files to help with the divorce.
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The CD with the files gets left at a local gym by one of her lawyers, and it is found by a gym employee called Chad. He and his co-worker Linda look at the files and believe them to be valuable spy documents and decide to blackmail Osbourne. But when their first attempt goes badly, they try to sell them to the Russians instead.

In order to get more information to sell, Chad breaks into Osbourne's house where Katie is now living with Harry after having kicked Osbourne out to go live on his boat. Harry shoots and kills Chad during the break in and hides the body.

As it turns out, Harry is also having an affair with the other blackmailer, Linda. She confesses what has been going on and tells him that her co-conspirator is missing, when Harry realizes this is the man he shot he panics and flees, believing that spies are after him now. Linda now has no one to turn to but her boss at the gym, who has a crush on her and agrees to go to Osbourne's house as well to investigate.

As if things are not complicated enough, a stressed out and vengeful Osbourne picks this moment to return home and reclaim his possessions from his estranged wife, and finds a lot more than he bargained for.
Best part of story, including ending: I enjoyed the increasing comedy of errors.

Best scene in story: When they go to the Russian embassy, the baffled Russian reaction is great.

Opinion about the main character: It's hard to really say who the main character is. Assuming its Clooney, he's a thorough cad but amusing.

The review of this Movie prepared by Maria Nunez a Level 11 Prairie Warbler scholar

Script Analysis of Burn After Reading

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Plot & Themes

Comedy, primarily    -   Yes Time/era of movie:    -   2000's+ (present) Comedy or Parody about    -   spies

Main Character

Identity:    -   Male Age:    -   40's-50's Ethnicity/Nationality    -   White American

Setting

United States    -   Yes

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   generic/vague references to death/punishment Any profanity?    -   Some foul language

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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