Director's Series: The Coen Bros.' INTOLERABLE CRUELTY (2003)

Let’s be honest about this film - this is NOT a Coen Bros. movie (at least as we have come to know Coen Bros. films) - INTOLERABLE CRUELTY was a film that was already in development that the Coen’s were brought in to “script doctor” and when the original Director (and stars) dropped out, the Coens picked it up and did the best they could with it.

And it shows.

Starring George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones (at the height of their respective careers), INTOLERABLE CRUELTY attempts to be a “throw back” film to the wise cracking, fast talking, screwball comedies of the 1930’s and ‘40’s pitting Clooney and Zeta-Jones against each other in a battle of wills, words and wisdom.

It works, at times, and at times it doesn’t work at all.

What works? The chemistry between Clooney and Zeta-Jones. They crackle off each other and the scenes where these 2 battle are the best in the film. It’s (for the most part) really good work from both of these two stars - but (as is often the case with Clooney in comedies) you can see him trying too hard (at times) to be funny, which makes the actor look desperate for laughs.

Of course, this being a Coen Bros. film, the Supporting parts are filled with wonderful “that guy” performers like Edward Herrmann, Geoffrey Rush, Richard Jenkins and Billy Bob Thornton all bringing some charm and quirkiness to their roles.

Only Cedric the Entertainer seemed to be out of place here. He looked like he was performing in a different film all together.

As for the Coens, this being a project they jumped into mid-stream, there is the least amount of “Coen Bros-ness” in this film and that is to the movie’s detriment. Whenever Clooney and Zeta-Jones are NOT sparring with each other, the film falls flat and could have used some of the Coen Bros. patented quirkiness (and darkness) to keep these parts interesting.

Come for the George and Catherine banter, tolerate the rest of INTOLERABLE CRUELTY.

Letter Grade: B

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)