“Intolerable Cruelty” (Universal Pictures)
George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones are the epitome of charm, style and amazing good looks in today’s Hollywood. He has the suave elegance of a Clark Gable while she is as perfect featured as a Natalie Wood. Plus she has true acting talent as her Oscar attests. So putting them together in a comedy created by the notorious Coen Brothers was a stroke of genius. At least it was on paper.
In the film Clooney is Miles Massey, the preeminent divorce lawyer in Beverly Hills. He meets Marylin Rexroth (Zeta-Jones) when he is representing her husband (Edward Hermann). There is an instant attraction even though they are on opposite sides of the table.
The rest of the film concerns Miles pursuit of Marylin and her subsequent treatment of him. There are twists and turns like those in any Coen Brothers film, but this time out the devices are fairly predictable.
Clooney was at his best when starring in the Coen Brothers’ quirky film “O Brother Where Art Thou” And in this new film he does some of his best comic acting to date. But he still comes across as a lightweight 8×10 glossy who can’t sell a movie.
Zeta-Jones is coming off the biggest hit of her career, “Chicago.” But in this follow up movie she once again is just a screen lovely walking through a role. The beauty is there but the snap and/or charm is missing.
Geoffrey Rush, Julia Duffy, Richard Jenkins and even Billy Bob Thornton are under-used in this film. They wander into the story and out again while barely making an impression.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and sexual innuendoes.
A Coen Brothers stamp on a production used to mean the movie would be something special – like “Fargo.” This one isn’t, even though it is probably their most commercial film to date. It will probably make more money than any other of their product thanks to the marquee value of Clooney and Zeta-Jones.
“Intolerable Cruelty” is a one-joke film about divorce Hollywood style. It offers a lot of glamour but very little humor and even less entertainment value. “Intolerable” seems an apt word to describe it.
I scored “Intolerable Cruelty” an unbearable 4 out of 10.
