I Served the King of England & Burn After Reading
I saw two good films today. And I laughed at both of them.
I Served the King of England is directed by Czech filmmaker Jiri Menzel (Closely Watched Trains). It tells the story of Jan Dite (played as a young man by Ivan Barney and as an older man by Oldrich Kaiser).
From early on in his life Jan wants to be a millionaire. He works at several jobs in the hotel business and each time he has some type of good luck. And when that happens he moves on. When the Nazis occupy Czecheslovakia things start to change for him. He meets Lisa (Julia Jentsch) who is German and a Nazi supporter. Jan really has no political thoughts at all. But he loves Liza so he goes along with her. Many things happen and eventually Jan gets his wish. He is rich and owns a hotel. But in the not too distant future Communism comes in and there are more changes.
More than anything this film is a character study and is one man's realization that what he wanted as a young man was not, in the end, really worth it. Both actors who play Jan are very good as is Jentsch and the supporting cast. You might think that a film like this would be oh so serious. But it was done with a lot of humor. I found myself laughing quite a bit. But at the same time there is a lesson in all of this. You might wish for something really hard but when you get it the price you have to pay is not worth is.
Burn After Reading is the Coen Brothers follow up to there masterpiece (and awards winning) No Country for Old Men. This film is a comedy but a very dark one.
Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) works for the CIA. He has trouble at work and at home with his cold as ice wife Katie (Tilda Swinton). When he leaves his job she decides to seek a divorce. She is having an affair with the married Harry (George Clooney) who works for the Treasury (the film takes place in Washington DC).
In the meantime, a CD belonging to Osborne falls into the hands of two employees at a local gym - Linda (Frances McDormand) and Chad (Brad Pitt). They decided to try to get money out of Osborne by exchanging the CD for cash. Linda is really desperate for cosmetic surgery and needs money for that. She is also looking for love online and one of the men she meets is....you will have to see for yourself.
The film is very funny and also a bit violent. But it all works. All of the actors are very good as are Richard Jenkins as the gym manager Ted and J.K. Simmons as a CIA superior. The Coen Brothers once again what great filmmakers they are and that they are also very versatile. Burn After Reading isn't as good as No Country for Old Men but I wasn't expecting that. However, it is very good but it is definitely not for every taste - which is the case for their films in general.
There you have it - two very good films in one day. Ah, I just love cinema!!
I Served the King of England is directed by Czech filmmaker Jiri Menzel (Closely Watched Trains). It tells the story of Jan Dite (played as a young man by Ivan Barney and as an older man by Oldrich Kaiser).
From early on in his life Jan wants to be a millionaire. He works at several jobs in the hotel business and each time he has some type of good luck. And when that happens he moves on. When the Nazis occupy Czecheslovakia things start to change for him. He meets Lisa (Julia Jentsch) who is German and a Nazi supporter. Jan really has no political thoughts at all. But he loves Liza so he goes along with her. Many things happen and eventually Jan gets his wish. He is rich and owns a hotel. But in the not too distant future Communism comes in and there are more changes.
More than anything this film is a character study and is one man's realization that what he wanted as a young man was not, in the end, really worth it. Both actors who play Jan are very good as is Jentsch and the supporting cast. You might think that a film like this would be oh so serious. But it was done with a lot of humor. I found myself laughing quite a bit. But at the same time there is a lesson in all of this. You might wish for something really hard but when you get it the price you have to pay is not worth is.
Burn After Reading is the Coen Brothers follow up to there masterpiece (and awards winning) No Country for Old Men. This film is a comedy but a very dark one.
Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) works for the CIA. He has trouble at work and at home with his cold as ice wife Katie (Tilda Swinton). When he leaves his job she decides to seek a divorce. She is having an affair with the married Harry (George Clooney) who works for the Treasury (the film takes place in Washington DC).
In the meantime, a CD belonging to Osborne falls into the hands of two employees at a local gym - Linda (Frances McDormand) and Chad (Brad Pitt). They decided to try to get money out of Osborne by exchanging the CD for cash. Linda is really desperate for cosmetic surgery and needs money for that. She is also looking for love online and one of the men she meets is....you will have to see for yourself.
The film is very funny and also a bit violent. But it all works. All of the actors are very good as are Richard Jenkins as the gym manager Ted and J.K. Simmons as a CIA superior. The Coen Brothers once again what great filmmakers they are and that they are also very versatile. Burn After Reading isn't as good as No Country for Old Men but I wasn't expecting that. However, it is very good but it is definitely not for every taste - which is the case for their films in general.
There you have it - two very good films in one day. Ah, I just love cinema!!
posted by Film Fanatic | 9:17 PM
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