 Movie
Reviews
with Evelyn Gough
Intolerable Cruelty (M)
Written & directed by Joel & Ethan Coen
 Catherine Zeta-Jones as Marilyn Rexroth and George Clooney as Miles Massey.
For discerning filmgoers, every new Coen brothers movie is a much anticipated event. Their distinctive, quirky, stylish productions have garnered fans all around the world and the big question is whether or not their latest effort, the screwball battle-of-the-sexes romantic comedy Intolerable Cruelty, will hit the mark.
The fact that the usually all-directing, all-producing, all-writing team of Joel and Ethan Coen decided to use somebody else's story and get some help with the screenplay has diehard fans a little wary. For those who find their style a little too "out there", maybe this is a good thing.
But overall, things seem a little compromised. It's clear they're trying to capture some of the magic of those classic Howard Hawks screwball comedies, but the Coen's typically dark comedy seems to get lost - although there are the usual oddballs, like the crusty senior partner in the law firm where Miles Massey (George Clooney) works. Massey is one damn fine divorce lawyer - LA's most formidable, in fact (the opening sequence featuring Geoffrey Rush is hilarious). Clooney's comedy skills once again shine, and he has enough Cary Grant charm to win over many fans.
Massey is so good, he's actually getting a little bored. But that all changes when the extremely beautiful, gold-digging Marylin Rexroth (Cathering Zeta-Jones) enters his office and his life. She's in the process of divorcing her wealthy, adulterous real estate developer husband, Rex (Edward Herrmann). She's got him fair and square and the payout should set her up nicely, but she didn't count on Miles, Rex's lawyer, and ends up with nothing. So she plans her revenge by marrying Miles and taking him to the cleaners...
The film has plenty to say about fidelity, divorce, and the balance between love and money. While I still thoroughly enjoyed Intolerable Cruelty, it's just less memorable than the Coens previous work. But I still highly recommend it.
Will this be the brother's first box office smash? We'll just have to wait and see...
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