What it is: Hapless gym employees Chad (Brad Pitt) and Linda (Francis McDormand) discover a disk containing CIA secrets. This leads them to former CIA analyst Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) whom they attempt to blackmail. Failing at that they then turn to espionage as they attempt to sell the disk to the Russians. Events become complicated when Osbourne’s wife (Tilda Swinton) and her lover (George Clooney) get tangled in the escapade which leads to murder and mayhem. Who lives, who dies, and who gets the secret files? Watch the film to find out!

Why it’s Significant: Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Francis McDormand, George Clooney, and Tilda Swinton all directed by the Coen brothers. Need we say more? This sardonic look at what can transpire when government secrets and human lies collide provides this dark comedy with enough laughs and quirky scenes to entertain any Coen fan. Best known for recent hit No Country for Old Men and their classics The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou, Fargo, and my favorite Raising Arizona the Coen brothers have a style all their own. For those of you with a wicked sense of humor, Burn After Reading does not disappoint.

Tags: coen, editors' picks, film, malkovich, osbourne, raising-arizona, tilda-swinton