This takes a reel or two to get going but when it does it it really packs a wallop. Malkovich was fantastic playing an alcoholic CIA agent. While the rest of the cast played their parts superbly. Smart, witty, dark, funny, kind of goofy and corny, thoroughly entertaining.

Grade B+

I freaking loved this movie! It is rare that we get a movie that can be classified as a true character piece that revovles around many many different characters. The best part is that everyone brings something to the table that adds up to be one hell of a fun ride. Easily one of the years best.

A-

I will post my official review Tuesday when it gets published in my paper.

I like how almost all the events and character decisions are pushed by their preconceived notion of spy films or other cinematic mechanisms, the very stuff the movie is a play on. The satires of the film come out by having these people live up to the spy movie they think they're in. It's a pretty brilliant way to satire a genre, actually.

All the actors are fantastic, my favorites being Clooney and McDormand. I also like what they do with Tilda's character, they play her refreshingly uber straight and cold, but it fits. The Coens' dialogue is as delicious as always.

But for the most part, it's just great, sharp entertainment. It kept my going the whole way through.

My only complaint would be the ending. I'm a big fan of No Country's ending, I thought it was the perfect way to close it off. This one though, I thought it was setting itself up for an amazing maniacal last 20 minutes after the Malkovich and Jenkins scene, and then it just... ends. The last scene is brilliant, as are all the ones with the J.K. Simmons, but I wanted more. Nevertheless, I don't think it hurt the film that much.

While I would be hesitant calling it a masterpiece like some of their other works, overall I'd say it's another great addition to the Coens' library, of which I believe by the end of their careers will rank among legends like Hitch and Kubrick.

4.5/5

I thought it was terrific, although the opening scenes, as the Coens are setting up the chess pieces of this story, were pretty uneven. I suspect and hope later viewings will smooth out that section. Still, this is easily the most satisfying comedy of the year so far. I floated out of the theatre. Can't wait to go again.

Clooney (in a bit of post-Leatherheads redemption) and The Jenk were the standouts, with the former grabbing the film's two biggest laughs.

I also want to add that the last thing I ever expected in a Coen Brothers film was a series of well-executed Dermot Mulroney jokes. Oh, and shame on the Focus marketing team for essentially giving away the film's two major, should-have-been-shocking acts of violence. Sigh.

Oh, please. Shack is right on; the Pitt and McDormand characters take all of their cues on how to deal with this situation from what they've watched on TV. It's one of the film's sarpest running gags, and its one of the Coens tools to really fuck around and play with the narrative conventions of such films. Witness Pitt's first phone call to Osborne Cox. Or, better yet, what they decide to do when Cox won't pay up.

"Why the FUCK would they go to the Russians?"



You said it, J-Malk.

Yeah I was going to mention the film doesn't really take off until 20 minutes in, but I cut it out because like you I think that problem won't be there on repeat viewings, when I'm not itching for Pitt and McDormand to show up and for the plot to begin and wondering what this Clooney + Tilda adultery subplot has to do with anything. Like you said, the Coens are having fun twisting the narrative structure here.

And I'm lucky I haven't seen a TV in the last month, I had no inclinations on the deaths. The closet thing was awesomely shocking, in particular.

I agree with Shack and yoshue on the film.


So yeah,
B+ for the film:thumbsup:

One of the weirdest movies I've ever seen. It was a pretty slow movie overall, but I did like most of the characters except for Malkovich, who I couldn't care less about.



The ending I did like however. Couldn't have done it better.

B-

Hey! Joe's rude and wholly unnecessary Shack-baiting posts disappeared! What gives?

MG Casey, one of us (could have been me, I guess...) really misunderstood how that character died.

No, you didnt. At least I never got that impression.

I think Pitt just saw one of his holsters, Clooney had the gun. I dunno, the scene went fast, will have to pay more attention on the second viewing.

Oh oh oh. I thought I saw the gun in the holster. That makes more sense though, along with one of George Clooney's earlier lines about his fast reflexes.

I just saw Brad Pitt smiling like he had solved his situation though shooting himself, lol.

What about the Joe-baiting post above?

It's odd. They were there, then they weren't. I'm allowed to be curious. You deleted them?

No, he had a mod do it, because someone edited my post.

It takes awhile to get going, but unlike most comedies it gets progressively funnier as it goes along. The final scene had me in tears laughing.

Clooney had the gun.

Moved to garbage forum. Along with most (all?) of other Joe-vs-everybody-"fight" posts. Guys, please try to talk about movie only.

As Frances McDormand would say.. it's "fantastic!"

B+

The Coen Brothers deliver another hilarious (yet odd at the same time) comedy. The entire cast was shining but the true star in this was Brad Pitt. He had me cracking up every time he was. It starts out slow, then gets really funny, and has an hilarious ending.

A-

A strange, often hilarious effort from the Coen Brothers. The first twenty minutes or so are incredibly uneven, often dull and kind of annoying. But things really kick into high gear the minute the story shifts towards the characters played by Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt. After that everything picks up and the characters introduced at the beginning suddenly become a lot more interesting. The performances are all fantastic, especially from John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt. The latter delivers what is easily one of the year's strongest performances, a role that really shouldn't be counted out come Oscar season. Pitt is lovable and hilarious here and steals every scene he is in without any problem. Anyways, I'd definitely recommend this one and, like other Coen Brothers films, I'm sure I'll appreciate it more on a second viewing. B+

Pretty disappointing. It's so hit and miss in terms of comedy; any scene that didn't have Brad Pitt just did not entertain. And the film is just really, really weird.

You sound surprised.