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Intolerable Cruelty (Widescreen Edition) Customer Reviews (22 - 24 of 74 Reviews)

A really nice surprise
I went into Intolerable Cruelty expecting something dull anf fluffy. Should've known better from a Coen brothers' movie I suppose, because Intolerable Cruelty is actually a lot better than its reception at the box office would have you believe. The story pits man-eater Catherine Zeta Jones alongside George Clooney, the lawyer who on behalf of her husband, ensured she got nothing from her last divorce settlement.

Clooney is perfect for this kind of role, clearly relishing the opportunity to play the egotistical poser with a hidden soul, delivering lines such as 'That woman fascinates me' with the kind of personality that only he can deliver. I've never been a fan of Catherine Zeta Jones, but she really sparkles here, particularly with the verbal put-downs and snappy dialogue.

Of course, this being a Coen brothers' film there are a few manic characters along the sidelines, most noticeably Wheezy the assassin, the crazy old man who runs the law firm and most hilariously, Billy Bob Thornton as the second husband. He alone is worth the admission. Whilst it seems all too easy to state that this isn't as good as previous Coens' movies such Fargo or The Big Lewbowski, it's still a whole lot better than the majority of romantic fluff out there. Indeed, even if some of the Coens' crazier elements don't really come off for such a clearly mainstream affair, it's still a very enjoyable ride, and there are a few good laugh-out-loud moments. Not brilliant perhaps, but filled with enough enthusiasm and sparkle to make you not care.

(3+) Tolerable Entertainment -But Not Up To Its Potential
This is a very stylish movie, and incorporates many of the techniques that the Coen Brothers have used to advantage in their other films. However, while the utilization of such techniques as overstatement carried to the point of absurdity and characters who incorporate terminal weirdness were essential to the success of those films, they are taken to an extreme here which provides many truly comedic moments but actually detracts from the overall impact of the film. This story doesn't have to be extremely outrageous to be funny; after all, the media constantly bombards us with the crazy situations that evolve where infidelity and divorce are concerned and the extremes to which divorce lawyers will go supposedly in the interests of their clients.

George Clooney is Miles Massey, the media anointed star divorce lawyer continually burnishing his image in every way imaginable. Catherine Zeta Jones is Marylin Rexroth, whose sleuth catches her rich husband Rex Rexroth (Edward Hermann) in an act of marital infidelity and determines that her divorce settlement will be the path to riches and independence. When Miles succeeds in depriving her of the expected windfall in a hilarious courtroom scene, it is clear that will not be the end of their story. After all, he is getting bored with the repetitiveness of success and is looking for new challenges, while she is still searching for the path to a life of luxury. As the story proceeds, it is unclear until the end who is really being entrapped, whether it is primarily a game of one upmanship between the two of them, and how much of the stakes are financial and how much emotional. There is a wonderful supporting cast of great character actors including among others Geoffrey Rush, Cedric the Entertainer and Billy Bob Thornton in a fantastic role as Marylin's new love interest (Or is he?).

George Clooney's work is always enjoyable and Catherine Zeta Jones is easy to watch; in addition the performances of the remainder of the cast complemented the stars and provided some truly funny moments. However, as a totality the film was somewhat disappointing. As I indicated earlier, the basic story had enough clever elements and comedic potential so that it could have been told without the Coen Brothers penchant for the bizarre and the extreme (which was clearly essential to the success of RAISING ARIZONA, FARGO, and O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU). So this rating is a compromise, four plus for the actors and storyline, two plus for the onscreen implementation of the basic idea.

Tucker Andersen

Great Cast, But Little Comic or Romantic Spark.
Miles Massey (George Clooney) is a charming but unscrupulous Hollywood divorce lawyer famous for obtaining lucrative settlements for not-so-innocent clients and leaving his opponents poverty-stricken. One such opponent was Marilyn Rexroth (Catherine Zeta-Jones), the scheming wife of a childish but fabulously wealthy industrialist. Determined not to be beaten twice, Marilyn turns to Miles for legal assistance with her second marriage, and the two begin to find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another.

"Intolerable Cruelty" is the Coen brothers' most mainstream fair yet. Officially, Joel directed, and Ethan produced, as usual. The brothers co-wrote the film with Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone. "Intolerable Cruelty" lacks the black humor of most Coen brothers' comedies. Instead, it's a screwball comedy that tries to be clever. George Clooney is as charismatic as ever, even in the screwball routines. Catherine Zeta-Jones is lovely and seductive and has a nice wardrobe, but her character is a little flat. She is intended to be a match for Miles Massey's machinations, but we really don't see it. She seems more like a straightforward gold-digger than a clever comic femme fatale. And she never comes across as threatening in any way. More lines would have given her the opportunity to demonstrate her wit and convince us that Miles would really fall for this woman. The film has an all-star supporting cast, which is universally terrific. Billy Bob Thorton is irresistible as Marilyn's incurably garrulous second husband. Jonathan Hadary is hilarious as the Baron Krauss Von Espy, a witness at Marilyn's divorce hearing. Other notable supporting contributions include: Geoffrey Rush as one Miles' defeated courtroom opponents, Cedric the Entertainer as a private investigator specializing in compromising videos, Julia Duffy as a filthy rich Beverly Hills divorcee, and Edward Herrmann as Marilyn's first husband. The problems with the film are that Marilyn seems underwritten and not especially clever, the jokes are a little tired, and the film has a few too many acts. So, in spite of its undeniably attractive stars and excellent supporting cast, "Intolerable Cruelty" just isn't very funny -with the notable exception of the Baron's courtroom appearance. It's not biting enough to be good satire. Nor is it successful in generating the lighthearted charm of early romantic comedies to which it seems to aspire.

The DVD: Bonus features include a making-of documentary entitled "A Look Inside Intolerable Cruelty", a featurette on the film's wardrobe by Costume Designer Mary Zophres, outtakes, written bios of the cast and filmmakers, and a DVD-ROM (Windows only). The making-of documentary contains interviews with the film's actors, the Coen brothers, and producer Brain Glazier. It's long, but it actually doesn't say much. "The Wardrobe" featurette is a nice addition for those interested in film fashion. Subtitles are available in French, Spanish, and English. Dubbing is available in French and Spanish. There is one unavoidable advertisement for Focus Features when you start the disc.

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