8 Essential Coen Brothers Films You Must Watch

While many of the Coens' works have toed the line between comedy and tragedy, Burn After Reading sees the brothers step across the threshold firmly in one direction, with a script that is unflinching in its humor and a film that pulls no punches.

As is typical for the Coens, the story unfolds in a twisting, winding fashion, and viewers will need to follow the many dangling threads to get the full picture. Luckily, Burn After Reading never becomes a chore to watch and keeps viewers enticed thanks to a diverse cast of frequent Coen collaborators (such as George Clooney and Frances McDormand), as well as plenty of other recognizable faces like Brad Pitt and John Malkovich.

Burn After Reading did not turn quite as many heads as the Coens' previous film, No Country For Old Men, but it remains one of their finest works to date and is worth watching for the biting humor alone.