Intolerable Cruelty ★★½ 2003 (PG-13) The Coens are back with another impeccably cast and written comedy. This time they tackle the genre of screwball comedy, with the formidable help of stars Clooney and Zeta-Jones. He is Miles Massey, an unbeatable divorce attorney, and she's Marilyn Rexroth, a gold-digging serial divorcee. They meet when Miles is hired by Marilyn's soon-to-be-ex, Rex, who's been caught cheating but doesn't want to pay up. When Miles beats her out of her settlement, they begin a dance of mutual attraction and escalating acts of…well, you know. In addition to the genuine movie-star spark of the leads, plenty of hilarious supporting characters inhabit the Coens' over-the-top L.A. landscape. Film's fascination with the characters' charming amorality results in great moments, but contributes to a weak ending by draining the warmth that the romance portion requires. 100m/C VHS, DVD. US George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Geoffrey Rush, Cedric the Entertainer, Edward Herrmann, Richard Jenkins, Billy Bob Thornton, Paul Adelstein, Irwin Keyes, Julia Duffy, Tom Aldredge, Jonathan Hadary, Stacey Travis, Royce D. Applegate;
Director:
Joel Coen;
Writer:
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone;
Writer:
Roger Deakins;
Cameo:
Carter Burwell.
