Ethan and Joel Coen have built a reputation as talented, off the wall, extremely versatile filmmakers. Regrettably, I have only seen a small handful of their films. Nonetheless, it's hard to miss their influences-spectacular visuals, odd dialogue and characters so quirky that you can't help but love them. \Intolerable Cruelty,"" their latest offering, has been much maligned by Coen fans who deem it too ""mainstream."" Mainstream or not, the Coens have crafted a screwball romantic comedy that feels classic in style and overflows with laughs.
""Cruelty"" focuses on the institution of marriage as a means to an end-a way for cold, calculating women to wring rich men of all they're worth, with divorce lawyers gladly snagging their share on the way. George Clooney plays Miles Massey, seemingly the best divorce lawyer in history. His ""Massey prenup"" is so ironclad that it's studied at Harvard Law. Clooney plays the impeccable Massey perfectly. All the preening, double-takes, facial spasms and toothy smiles make Miles the superficial character he is meant to be when the film begins. Massey's smooth demeanor is only matched by gold-digging Marilyn Rexroth (Catherine Zeta-Jones).
Zeta-Jones lights up the screen, looking more beautiful than, well, any other actress I can remember. More importantly, her subtle and witty repartee with Clooney keeps the film moving at a quick and hilarious pace. This is essential; while this may be a romantic comedy, it is also simultaneously a farce and a satire, taking its characters seriously while making fun of them at the same time.
Perhaps the best scene to illustrate the tone of ""Cruelty"" is Marilyn's remarriage to oil tycoon Howard D. Doyle (Billy Bob Thornton). Marilyn gently pulls on the strings until she has Doyle convinced of her honest intentions; he is so convinced that he actually grabs a bib and some barbeque sauce to eat their Massey prenup, and all Massey can do is applaud in awed silence. The very concept is ludicrous and over-the-top, and yet the performances and score play the scene on the very edge.
Some great supporting performances are turned in by Thornton as the classic Texan tycoon and Cedric the Entertainer as private eye Gus Petch. In fact, Cedric's relatively small role gets some great comedic mileage. I would object to how under-utilized both of them are if Zeta-Jones and Clooney didn't have such a great sense of timing and chemistry. They nail the Coen's intended classic comedy tone, and the few scenes that fall flat are salvaged by their performances.
While not my favorite genre, I truly love a well done romantic comedy. Sure, there are several overused conventions and cardboard characters. I can forgive those tired films that serve no purpose other than to deliver the same story to make more money, but I can't enjoy them. There has to be something more than just the set-up-there has to be a grand execution. The Coen brothers have delivered one of those rare romantic comedies that makes me remember just how witty and stylish a romantic comedy can still be.
wwtemby@wisc.edu.
