Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) is a CIA analyst who gets fired from the Agency, seemingly due to his drinking problems. He is married to Katie Cox (Tilda Swinton), who is completely unsupportive of her husband's decisions and his problems; and is seeking a divorce. She is having an affair with a US Treasury Agent, Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney). Harry is an annoying, moronic, paranoid individual and has affairs going on all over the town. Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt) are two typical, mentally dim, gym employees. They find a CD containing Osbourne's CIA data, misplaced by his wife, who happens to be a gym member. They try to blackmail Osbourne to churn some money out of him. But, he doesn't yield. They then decide to take the CD to the Russian embassy! Meanwhile, Linda and Harry meet each other through an online dating portal. He shows her an "apparatus" built by himself in his basement hobby-shop! Judging from her reaction, we can guess that they are quite made-for-each-other! ;-)
The viewer remains glued to the screen as he sees the interactions and discovers connections between these crazy individuals, in even crazier and chaotic circumstances! The story borders on genres like comedy, suspense thriller and at times dark humour.
George Clooney, Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt effectively portray their wacky, desperate, paranoid, low-IQ characters. Special mention to John Malkovich who has no other work in the movie but to yell and curse over one reason or another.
I especially love the last lines, between the CIA officials, who try to analyze the entire situation and are completely nonplussed.
CIA Superior: What did we learn, Palmer?
CIA Officer: I don't know, sir.
CIA Superior: I don't fuckin' know either. I guess, we learnt not to do it again.
CIA Officer: Yes, sir.
CIA Superior: I'm fucked if we know what we did.
CIA Officer: Yes, sir, it's, uh, hard to say.
CIA Superior: Jesus fucking Christ!
