Rating: 
Summary: a pleasant surprise
Review: A film by the Coen BrothersMiles Massey (George Clooney) is a divorce lawyer. He specializes in getting his client everything that he (or she) wants no matter how much in the wrong the client actually is. He is brilliant and is also the author of the Massey Prenup, which is an iron-clad pre-nuptial agreement that has never been penetrated. From the beginning of the movie, we get to see Miles Massey work, getting off both men and women who have cheated on their spouses. Massey can work the court room and find loopholes and is incredibly successful. He is so successful that he is able to get off a man, Rex Rexroth, after he is caught on videotape cheating on his wife Marilyn (Catherine Zeta-Jones). This completely destroys Marilyn's way of life as she was in the marriage for the money and was trying to divorce him for the money that she would get. During the divorce proceedings, Miles finds himself infatuated with Marilyn. So much so that he takes risks to meet her and talk to her and hopefully to woo her. Things don't go very smoothly (as far as Miles' dream relationship goes) and the more Miles tries to win Marilyn, the less likely it seems possible as she quickly finds a rich Texan named Howard Doyle (Billy Bob Thornton) to marry. This is not your typical Coen Brothers movie. This is the most commercial film that they've done, but there is still plenty of the Coen's offbeat humor and darkness throughout the film. On one hand Intolerable Cruelty is a typical romantic comedy, but it is also anything but typical. It was a very good movie, a real treat to watch, and I was surprised by just how much I liked it. I would definitely recommend this movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Still clever, but so uneven, the sparks never quite fly
Review: "Intolerable Cruelty" might be the first Coen Brothers film uncomfortable its own skin. Oh, it has the usual collection of inspired sequences mixed with an equal portion of needless ones - which could be said any Joel and Ethan C film not named "Fargo." What's surprising is how many styles the film tries - straight romance, black comedy, full-blown madcap - without finding one that suits it. George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones both look great, and they certainly look like they'd be great together in something. But not this movie. Clooney is Miles Massey, an iceman divorce attorney that turns sure losers inside out by - well let's say his skill is more or less assumed and undefined. Zeta-Jones, with a movie star look that makes most Hollywood glamour girls look like coquettes, is gold digger Marilyn Rexroth, whose second husband (Edward Herrmann) is caught in a hotel room (literally) doing the choo-choo dance with his mistress by video camera-toting PI (Cedric The Entertainer, drilling his one funny note into the Earth). It's a worthy case for Miles, who's grown tired of making deals. Then he sees Marilyn slink into the negotiating room, and, in the one thing we can believe about "Intolerable Cruelty," falls hard for her. Miles and Marilyn will duel once, then twice, then a third and a fourth time in a movie that quietly aspires to the cruel, violent theatrics of "The War of the Roses" without taking the same mean risks. Unlike that wicked Danny DeVito film, which freely peddled to its audience a lusty hatred for the characters, the Coens feel the need to straddle us. The remainder of the film is filled with their quirky bit characters (the hitman and the "senior partner" are pretty hilarious) and what passes for chemistry between the leads. Zeta-Jones is luminous. But her bored, distracted performance is nearly an insult for a plot that requires a certain amount of pep - her level, composed gaze is fetching for about half the movie, but then we'd like her to have a pulse. Clooney plays the ham as if to do the work for both of them, gawking and mugging and flopping around like a fool. Coupled with performances in "Solaris" and "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," Clooney almost seems to trying to work against his movie star looks and delivery. The bright spot is Billy Bob Thornton in a cameo as one of Marilyn's husbands, a petroleum heir that used to play a little tight end at Texas A&M. His presence is short-lived. The Coens usually deliver a dash of visual flair; that's missing in "Intolerable Cruelty," unless Zeta-Jones counts as scenery. So is their nose for consistent, flashy verbal gymnastics, as at least three long bits - an opening sequence with Geoffrey Rush as a TV producer, a ridiculous "Who's On First?" riff in the courtroom, and a speech delivered by Miles at a Las Vegas seminar - whiff entirely. And Clooney nerdy sidekick, played by Paul Adelstein, could be the most poorly conceived character the brothers have ever created. Much was made of the Coens' partnership with producer Brian Grazer on this film in an effort, like Woody Allen with Dreamworks, to make a "commercial" - read: moneymaking - picture. Outside of "O Brother, Where Art Thou," which had a cultlike following because of its bluegrass soundtrack, none of the Coen films - not even "Fargo," now widely considered one of the best films ever made, - hit the bank in their first runs. "Intolerable Cruelty" is no more mainstream, really - in some ways, it's the antithesis of what audiences crave - it just has a better marketing campaign. If the final gross helps finance another great Coen film, so be it; otherwise, it's a shiny suit the brothers didn't need.
Rating:
Summary: Witty!
Review: I loved this movie simply because I loved the back-and-forth banter and wit between Catherine Zeta Jones and George Clooney. As far as romantic comedies goes this one is definitley one of the more tolerable ones- my husband even enjoyed it.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Funny
Review: This movie was suppose to be a comedy. I did not laugh once. I love George Clooney, but in this movie his acting was poor (too many facial expressions). Catherine looked great however, her character was awful. The movie was not what I expected.
Rating:
Summary: A Hit for the Coen Brothers
Review: The Coen brothers are a very hit-or-miss filmmaking team. Either I love their movies ("Fargo," "Blood Simple," "The Man Who Wasn't There") or I hate them ("The Big Lebowski, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"). O.k., so I didn't necessarily love "Intolerable Cruelty," but it does qualify as a hit for me. It's a refreshingly unpredictable comedy, sort of a dark homage to the screwball comedies of the 30's and 40's. I could see Cary Grant and Irene Dunne doing this film, or William Powell and Myrna Loy. I think George Clooney is a pretty bland actor, but I can admit that he's got charm, which is all this role really calls for. Catherine Zeta-Jones will probably reveal herself to be a fairly limited actress by the time all is said and done, but she's sexy as hell, which is all HER role really calls for. So, these two work together just fine. The only quibbles I have with the movie are the one or two instances where it falls back on that slapstick humour that the Coen brothers tend to overdo, but these are minor quibbles. Overall, this one is a winner. Grade: A-
Rating: 
Summary: Coen Brothers at their best and funniest
Review: With this film, a fourth volume has just been added to the "Best of the Coen Brothers," joining Raising Arizona, Hudsucker Proxy and Fargo. IC skewers a most deserving set of subjects: divorce attorneys and the legal profession, gold diggers, and foolish rich old men. The Coen Brothers have produced a no holds barred comedy, and from start to finish their savage satirical wit finds it mark, producing one memorable scene and set of belly laughs after another. George Clooney gives a fantastic performance as a top-notch Los Angeles divorce attorney, a role which allows him to show just how much acting goes into being a good attorney. Catherine Zeta-Jones doesn't have quite as meaty a part, but she gives an alluring performance. In the supporting roles, Billy Bob Thornton gets to dust off his Texas accent, and creates a credible happy-go-lucky Texas oilman. But the best supporting role is that of the senior partner of Clooney's law firm, an octogenarian representative of the legal profession who has long ago lost all traces of his humanity and soul. The dialogue is finely honed, with barbs minor and major liberally sprinkled throughout. The plot is intricate and requires some thought to follow, as well as the suspension of a minor amount of disbelief, but it all makes sense within the logic of the film. Underneath it all, the Coen Brothers communicate a message about the interplay of love and money, and independence versus interdependence. Unlike so many other comedies which are aimed at a teenage demographic, IC is a comedy that adults will relish.
Rating:
Summary: Intolerable and Cruel
Review: This movie was both intolerable and cruel to the eyes, ears, ah heck to all the senses. This movie only had one funny thing about it: Cedric the entertainer saying "I'm gonna nail yo' ass!' and that was only good for a couple laughs. It was a waste of time, luckily I didn't go of my free will so my taste in choosing movies stays perfect. DO NOT RENT THIS MOVIE! YOU WILL BE DISSAPOINTED!
Rating:
Summary: Intolerable Cruelty = Identity Crisis
Review: While on the surface containing all the elements for a good cinematic experience (George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, the Coen Brothers, Cedric The Entertainer, etc.), Intolerable Cruelty suffers from the most basic problem, namely that it's so unsure of what kind of movie it's supposed to be that it ends up failing, for the most part, across the board. At first it would seem to be an update of the classic screwball comedy, given the setup of Clooney as THE divorce attorney and Zeta-Jones as a woman who chooses her husbands by their bank accounts. There is a lot of homage to those films and Clooney and Zeta-Jones seem up to the task, but then the film takes a somewhat darker turn and loses a ton of steam. I don't know if I've ever seen a hybrid black comedy/screwball but this isn't it. They try, but they don't succeed. The script is also haphazard. I may be wrong, but I believe this is the first film the Coens have written in conjunction with another writing team and from a story not original to them. It shows. It's not quite convoluted, and like any Coen film there are little quirks and tricks that show up along the way, but there are things that just don't seem to have any purpose. The opening sequence with Geoffrey Rush is funny, but has no relevance to the rest of the plot save for one very, very brief moment in the middle and another at the end. There are, however, some redeeming qualities. As with most Coen films, the cinematography by Roger Deakins is phenomenal. There are several very funny slapstick moments, most involving Clooney, and Billy Bob Thornton has a funny part. Zeta-Jones seems to play the put-upon scheming tough-as-nails type well but she actually seems to suffer next to Clooney's mugging and broad comedic gestures. Overall it gets 3 stars for the sheer star power of Clooney and Zeta-Jones, for the effort to revive the screwball genre, and because the Coens at least keep things interesting, if not always entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: Intolerable Emptiness...
Review: Let me say this first: I love the Coen brothers. Right out of the gate with Blood Simple, they hit the ground running and since then have carved out a niche for themselves as perhaps America's finest filmmakers. They have a signature style that flows easily from one genre to the next, and in my book, they've never even come close to failing. Until this time. After seeing George Clooney's performance in O, Brother, Where Art Thou?, I was very excited to see him working with the Coens again. To his credit, Clooney is the sole standout in this film that makes attempts at reviving the spirit of some of the greater screwball comedies of the 30's & 40's. Had this been set in those times and filmed in black and white, it would probably have been a much better movie. Catherine Zeta Jones brings her usual nothing to the film, which is hardly surprising. Attractive? Sure. Gorgeous? You betcha. But under the surface, I just don't think there's anyone there. After ten amazingly original films, I guess the Coens were due to stumble. This is their most mainstream movie by any measure, and it certainly shows why, with previous films, the Coens were always many, many steps above the mainstream. Hopefully this one movie is the extent of their adventures in formula filmmaking, and they'll be back on track from here on out.
Rating:
Summary: Not the Coen Brothers Best But Still Darn Amusing
Review: The Coen Brothers almost never fail to engage me, and Intolerable Cruelty didn't disappoint. The movie has a simple premise (as many of their films do) but is populated by strange and interesting characters. The chemistry between George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones is fun to watch as they circle each other, alternating between truth and deception. I wouldn't expect the intelligence and brillance of O' Brother Where Art Thou, but it's still an entertaing film that no Coen Brothers fan should miss.
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