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Burn After Reading 2008

In this darkly comedic thrill ride, a mistaken identity sets off a chain reaction of chaos when a seemingly innocuous CD lands in the wrong hands. Two unsuspecting gym rats, Linda and Chad, hatch a harebrained scheme to cash in on the contents, only to find themselves entangled in a web of deceit and mayhem that threatens to consume them all.

In this darkly comedic thrill ride, a mistaken identity sets off a chain reaction of chaos when a seemingly innocuous CD lands in the wrong hands. Two unsuspecting gym rats, Linda and Chad, hatch a harebrained scheme to cash in on the contents, only to find themselves entangled in a web of deceit and mayhem that threatens to consume them all.

Does Burn After Reading have end credit scenes?

Yes!

Burn After Reading does have end credit scenes.

Actors

Meet the cast of Burn After Reading and learn about the talented actors who brought the characters to life. Explore their roles and career highlights.


Ratings

Discover how Burn After Reading is rated on popular platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Explore audience and critic scores to see how this movie ranks among the best.


Metacritic

63

Metascore

7.0

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

78%

TOMATOMETER

review

65%

User Score

IMDb

7.0 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

67

%

User Score

Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Burn After Reading with an engaging quiz. Test your memory of the movie’s characters, plot twists, and unforgettable moments.


Burn After Reading Quiz: Test your knowledge on the darkly comedic twists and turns of 'Burn After Reading'.

What position did Osborne Cox hold before his termination?

Discover the awards and nominations received by Burn After Reading. Explore the history of Burn After Reading and its cast and crew.


62nd British Academy Film Awards 2009

Brad Pitt
Nomination

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Brad Pitt
Tilda Swinton
Nomination

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Tilda Swinton
Nomination

Best Original Screenplay

14th Critics' Choice Awards 2009

Nomination

Best Comedy Movie

24th Artios Awards 2009

Nomination

Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Big Budget Feature - Comedy

Plot Summary

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Get the full story of Burn After Reading with a detailed plot summary. Dive into its themes, characters, and the twists that make it a must-watch.


Faced with a precarious situation at work stemming from his drinking habits, Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) reacts to his impending demotion by resigning from his position as a CIA analyst. Determined to document his life experiences, he sets off to write a memoir. However, his plans are derailed when his wife, Katie (Tilda Swinton), seizes this moment to initiate divorce proceedings while continuing her extramarital affair. Acting on her attorney’s advice, she discreetly copies sensitive financial records and a convoluted diatribe from Osbourne’s computer onto a CD. Unbeknownst to her, this CD holds chaotic thoughts about CIA operations.

The CD, which gets accidentally left in the locker room of Hardbodies, a local gym, is discovered by the clueless personal trainer Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt) and his colleague Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand). They mistakenly interpret the seemingly innocuous bank details and Osbourne’s rants as vital government intelligence. Believing they are onto something significant, they plot to return the CD to Osbourne in exchange for a reward, with Linda aiming to finance her desired cosmetic surgery.

Unfortunately, their plan spirals out of control following a tense encounter with Osbourne, leading them to offer the disc to the Russian embassy for monetary gain. With no other leads, Linda convinces Chad to break into the Cox home to extract additional information from Osbourne’s computer. In the meantime, Osbourne’s increasingly erratic behavior, partly fueled by the chaos surrounding him, prompts Katie to push forward with the divorce, even changing the locks on their home, forcing Osbourne to take refuge on their sailboat docked in the Chesapeake Bay.

With Osbourne out of the picture, Katie invites Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), a charming but unfaithful U.S. Marshal who is also entangled with Linda, to live with her. In a twist of fate, Harry encounters Chad hiding in the Cox residence, resulting in a panicked confrontation where Harry fatally shoots Chad.

Days later, at CIA headquarters, Palmer Smith ([David Rasche]), Osbourne’s former superior, finds himself embroiled in a bizarre situation where they discover that Osbourne’s information has ended up with the Russian Embassy, leaving them puzzled over the motives behind this unprecedented breach of protocol. Desperation mounts as Harry gets into a heated argument with Katie and leaves, only to be pursued by a private investigator hired by his wife Sandra (Elizabeth Marvel) to gather evidence for her own divorce.

As Harry grapples with the fallout of the shooting and begins to suspect Linda of being a spy, she, in turn, seeks help from Ted Treffon ([Richard Jenkins]), the kind-hearted gym manager who harbors feelings for her. Convinced that Chad has been abducted by the Russians, Ted agrees to search for more information at the Cox residence. Meanwhile, Osbourne, now desperate and without funds, breaks into his own home only to mistakenly kill Ted, thinking he is Katie’s new lover.

Ultimately, events spiral further out of control; the CIA catches up with Linda and Harry while a bullet has left Osbourne in a coma following his violent confrontation with Ted. The CIA debates whether to allow Harry to flee to Venezuela, as he is caught in an increasingly convoluted web of misunderstandings and poor choices. In a cynical conclusion, the CIA reviews the debacle, realizing that despite the chaos, they have learned nothing but painful lessons about their own incompetence. Meanwhile, at the Russian embassy, the trivial contents of Osbourne’s ramblings are dismissed as “drivel,” closing the loop on this darkly comedic tale of errors and misjudgments.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Keywords

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dark comedystupidityinternet datingneo screwball comedyspy comedyespionagewashington d.c.caper comedymadcap comedycrime capersecret informationtop secret datacd romgymmemoircosmetic surgeryextortionpillow talksex chairsex farcedivorcedisccia agentsex toysex machineextramarital affairviolencepolitical satiremormontray of canapesreference to george kennansitting on a park benchgeorgetown washington d.c.ticklishnesscia central intelligence agencyman uses a wheelchairdirector also editorsatire comedyagentfarce comedybare chested mansexjefferson memorial washington d.c.demotionembassyfemale doctoru.s. marshalcasual sexsex scenecocktail party

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