Brad Pitt's Ahead-of-Its-Time Crime Comedy Is Getting Redacted on Streaming

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J.K. Simmons as a CIA Superior looking through a file in 'Burn After Reading'

Published Feb 26, 2026, 5:52 PM EST

Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts.

For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.

He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him.

His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.

There are comedies that make you laugh. There are thrillers that keep you guessing. And then there are movies that somehow do both — while also quietly roasting everyone involved. Few filmmakers have mastered that tonal tightrope quite like the Coen Brothers. Across decades, they’ve built a filmography filled with morally questionable characters, absurd misunderstandings, and endings that hit you sideways. And the one with the funniest ending of all is about to vanish from streaming.

Burn After Reading, written and directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, is set to leave Prime Video at the end of February. Released in 2008, the film follows a group of deeply unserious people who believe they’ve stumbled upon explosive CIA secrets — when in reality, they have absolutely no idea what they’re holding. The all-star cast includes Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, John Malkovich, and Tilda Swinton — each delivering performances that range from unhinged to hilariously pathetic, as well as featuring the most demented "pleasure device" ever conceived for film.

While Burn After Reading wasn’t as universally praised as some of the Coens’ heavier hitters like No Country for Old Men or Fargo, it’s grown into a cult favorite thanks to its satire and endlessly quotable absurdity.

How Good Is 'Burn After Reading'?

Collider’s review stated that Burn After Reading proves the Coen Brothers can bend any genre to their will — even if this particular outing doesn’t visually sparkle the way some of their previous films have. The review praised the razor-sharp screenplay and the cast’s commitment. Pitt’s gleefully dim personal trainer is a highlight, delivering broad comedy with precision, but the technical side doesn’t quite match the script’s bite.

"Finally, I think the editing of the film is a bit lacking. It's not that the film feels too fat or too lean, but like the cinematography, it rarely pops. 'Reading' doesn't need to be a loud film, but there doesn't seem to be a total embrace of the film's wonderful tone. 'Burn After Reading' is as smart and sharply acted as any other of the Coen Brothers' great films. It's a shame that the other aspects of the film aren't as good, but they certainly don't hurt the film and shouldn't dissuade you from seeing how once again, the Brothers Coen are the masters of any genre they set their sights on."

Burn After Reading leaves Prime Video at the end of February.