Review of Intolerable Cruelty (2003) by Filipeneto — 23 Aug 2018

This romantic comedy talks about marriages and divorces, and is a direct criticism of the way society views these things. The story is simple and works well: a gold digger seeks to dig her way to her own wealth. For this, she marries rich men and divorces as soon as she has the opportunity, even maneuvering with prenuptial conventions. However, she ends up in love when she attempts to strike again, this time on a wealthy marriage lawyer who prevented her from raising a fortune in the last divorce. How can this couple, who started out so uncommonly, learn to trust each other?

Well, for those who know a little about the Coen brothers' cinematographic work, this film will certainly seem like one of the most conventional and commercial films they've done. But that does not make the movie bad. The two filmmakers have always done a good job and have always sought a personal path, which is more or less between the indie cinema and the commercial cinema to which we are accustomed. It would be bad if the cinema were entirely made up of films almost unintelligible and full of metaphorical and philosophical meanings. And the traditional mark of these filmmakers is very present, in the notes of sarcastic humor about morality and marriage. George Clooney is an excellent actor and plays very well with Zeta Jones, with whom he shares the protagonism. Both actors stay away from passionate stunts. Here, love is cold and comes from a situation of tension, in which both behave as true chess players, or poker players. The support cast does a good job and is essential for the movie's most comedic moments. Finally, a note of appreciation for the initial credits, very well imagined and with a nice touch of humor.