In their latest comedic romp

In their latest comedic romp, the Coen brothers test the boundaries of mainstream cinema while retaining their quirky and idiosyncratic trademarks. Much to my relief, not only have the innovative siblings crafted another great film, but they’ve managed to do so while under the radar of blockbuster producer Brian Grazer. The result is Intolerable Cruelty, a dark romantic-comedy that bears similarities to the early romantic-comedies of Howard Hawks. George Clooney, who stars in the film as a conniving lawyer by the name of Miles Massey, even resembles Cary Grant in movies like His Girl Friday.

Intolerable Cruelty is an unadulterated joyride that satisfies from start to finish (I really do not recall being distracted or bored for one-second). It sparks life into a genre that has been riddled with clichés throughout the years. And best of all, the film is full of verbose characters, another trademark of the Coen brothers, who talk faster than speeding trains. Although the story was originally conceived of by three writers, the characters’ nuances and wacky scenarios are purely the work of Joel and Ethan Coen, who prove once again that when it comes to dialogue, the two are among the wittiest writers working in Hollywood.

When millionaire Rex Rexroth (Edward Herrmann) is caught cheating on his young trophy wife, Marylin (Catherine Zeta-Jones), the money-hungry Mrs. Rexroth uses this opportunity to divorce and sue her promiscuous husband for all his wealth. Enter Miles Massey, one of the most successful lawyers in California. Miles is hired as Rex’s attorney and is victorious in defending his client’s riches, and it’s during this defense that the film provides some of the finniest courthouse sequences in recent memory. But when Miles begins to fall for Marylin, mostly because his life is pretty empty and the fear of growing old and lonely has kicked in, a lot of trouble ensues.

Out of common courtesy, I won’t reveal any details because they are just too inventive and surprising to be known to the viewer prior to his/her viewing experience. Needless to say, if you are a fan of the Coen brothers’ work, especially their offbeat comedies like Raising Arizona or O Brother, Where Art Thou, then it’s hard to imagine anyone leaving the theatre disappointed.

GRADE: A-

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