norman cousin would have love the coen brother burn after read . the late great saturday review editor have treat his illness with marx brother movie and have make the joyous discovery that 10 minute of genuine belly laughter have an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hour of pain free sleep . i have never felt healthy than after 96 minute of explosive and grateful laughter at the burn screening and also marvel at the array of british stage caliber act from fargo invoke france mcdormand and witchy icy tilda swinton and a more manic than ever john malkovich and and a dozen major player and such a j. k. simmons a the deadpan cia bos and richard jenkins a the former greek orthodox priest and now run an upscale gym . others may lead the cast list with george clooney and brad pitt and but to me and their performance be just a bit on the self conscious side and try too hard . at any rate and it a great cast and and while the plot might have turn into a dud in somebody else treatment and the coen brother write be hilarious and their zinger deadly . a critic and probably with bad digestion and have decry this very black comedy set in a blanched and austere look washington and d. c.  an uninspiring and uncomfortable place in which everyone betray everyone else and and the emotional tone veers from icy politeness to spit rage and back again . if i have a chance to think and instead of enjoy burn and i would have contemplate molière and evelyn waugh and their comedy of manner and psychological insight and and unbridled great humor . yes and there be betrayal ( none well than the totally unexpected one at the end of the film ) and and there be rage and but all contain within a glorious bubble of write direct act excellence . burn grip and hold and surprise and entertains and it be a virtuoso piece . don not be mislead by the a action trailer on tv and saturate the airwave while it say nothing of the film . malkovich punch pitt over a compromising cd of spook stuff be not at the heart of this the mcdormand character pursuit of cosmetic surgery be and what with her self examination and a lengthy session with the surgeon ( jeffrey demunn and in a brilliant turn ) and her desperate quest for a way to pay for it . funny and go deep at the same time and burn present a series of character study ( hence the thought of molière ) and in the context of mannered yet true social interaction ( waugh ) . skip description of the plot and reject self righteous denunciation of smart skepticism and charm evil and go and wallow in life affirm laughter .