And you thought No Country for Old Men was nihilistic. Joel and Ethan Coen offer another gloomy depiction of the evil that lurks in the hearts of men. Except, this time, it’s a comedy. To the likely dismay of those who’ve always accused the brothers of being condescending to their characters, Burn After Reading harks back to the brothers’ early, cruel crime farces, in which moronic people make moronic choices and wind up squirming under the camera’s harsh glare. Squirming this time are the likes of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich and Frances McDormand as various spies and fitness instructors of the greater Washington, D.C., area.
