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Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading

Intelligence is relative.

200896 minRMidcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Directors
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Starring
George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich

When a disc containing memoirs of a former CIA analyst falls into the hands of gym employees, Linda and Chad, they see a chance to make enough money for Linda to have life-changing cosmetic surgery. Predictably, events whirl out of control for the duo, and those in their orbit.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Burn After Reading?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Burn After Reading to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Burn After Reading?

Burn After Reading earns 8 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Star-studded.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Burn After Reading worth watching?

Burn After Reading's Midcredits score is the 80th percentile of all films, from 985K ratings across 6 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

80th percentile

Better received than 80% of films

87th percentile among Comedy78th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)77th
Approval (how many liked it)80th

69 /100

77th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Comedy76th percentile among 2000s

Critics 63 · Audience 70

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

71% liked it

80th percentile of all films

86th percentile among Comedy78th percentile among 2000s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Critics 78% · Audience 65%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 7 wins / 32 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical

99th percentile

985K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Comedy98th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 88% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$37M
Opening weekend$19M
Domestic gross$60M
Worldwide gross$164M

Returned 4.4× its budget — 97th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a darkly comedic farce with a strong cast, even if opinions diverge on whether the execution soars or falls flat.

Fans praised

  • brilliant ensemble chemistry, especially Pitt and Clooney
  • darkly hilarious, clever wordplay and situational comedy
  • entertaining, intricately plotted farce with sharp wit

Detractors panned

  • plodding, uninspired, and lacking the Coens' usual spark
  • shallow characters, no one to root for, and muddled tone
  • studio-lite celebrity satire that doesn't cohere

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

star-studded, charismatic performances, with Pitt, Clooney, and McDormand highlighted

DialogueDivisive78

witty, quotable Coen-esque banter, especially with expletives

HumorDivisive72

dark, slapstick, and subtle laughs, but hit-or-miss for some

OriginalityDivisive68

smart spin on spy genre, but seen as derivative of better Coen films

Plot and storyDivisive58

convoluted, farcical, and meandering with little real consequence

PacingDivisive55

moves along briskly but can feel aimless and overstuffed

EndingDivisive52

amusing if anticlimactic wrap-up, though some find it flat

CharactersDivisive38

idiotic self-involved types, but underdeveloped and unrelatable

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 18 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 13 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Burn After Reading like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark comedy: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to laugh at things you probably shouldn't.

It leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Dark comedy.

Moods
AbsurdTenseManic
Heaviest: middle
Dark humor
The answer rests on this: Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsCynical · 1% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe Coens maintain a detached, ironic distance, treating their characters' delusions and the violent farce with a knowing smirk.
The rideThe mood swings from absurd comic energy to sudden violence, with the manic heist escalations peaking in the middle before the cold ending.
StructureLinear narrative following multiple characters in parallel, with no structural gimmicks.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayA darkly comic farce that leaves you grinning at the idiocy but also unsettled by the casual brutality.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).ComedyFarce
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% (this title) · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

11% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA chain of misunderstandings and incompetence escalates into absurd chaos: a dark farce built on mistaken assumptions.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfAmbitionSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Ambition · 7% of filmsDeception · 9% of filmsIsolation · 5% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeEvery character pursues a personal goal—self-improvement, money, love, revenge—with ludicrous misjudgment, revealing how ambition warps perception and trust.
StanceThe film satirizes the petty self-interests of its characters, mocking their delusions of importance in the face of an indifferent intelligence apparatus.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Carter Burwell
SettingWashington D.C. gym, CIA offices, and suburban homes in the late 2000s
MusicBurwell's score blends folk and orchestral elements, underscoring the absurdity with an off-kilter, almost jaunty tempo.

Content guide

Is Burn After Reading okay for kids?

R

Burn After Reading is rated R: “Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (75/100), sexual content at moderate (51/100), language at severe (87/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (42/100) and frightening material at moderate (56/100). Overall it is heavier than 65% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 19 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15A
  • JapanR18+
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium14
  • Denmark15
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO18+
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 79% of all filmsHeavier than 65% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 56%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 87%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 54%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 39%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language and violence. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Burn After Reading have?

MovieCove's classifier found 2 depicted content warnings in Burn After Reading, all withheld here because they would spoil the plot. 1 more is mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory: Addiction or relapse. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MentionedAddiction or relapse

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in Burn After Reading?

Cast

5 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

George Clooney
as Harry Pfarrer
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Frances McDormand
as Linda Litzke
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Brad Pitt
as Chad Feldheimer
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Supporting ActorTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
John Malkovich
as Osborne Cox
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Tilda Swinton
as Katie Cox
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Supporting Actress
Richard Jenkins
as Ted
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Elizabeth Marvel
as Sandy Pfarrer
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
David Rasche
as CIA Officer Palmer DeBakey Smith
J.K. Simmons
as CIA Superior
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Olek Krupa
as Krapotkin

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Burn After Reading?

Movies like Burn After Reading include The Ladykillers (2004), Intolerable Cruelty (2003) and Hail, Caesar! (2016). All three are films by Joel Coen; two are dark comedies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Burn After Reading?

3.2K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dark comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.