rocko
10-11-2003, 12:10 AM
After reading Chris Barsanti's review of "Intolerable Cruelty" (where he awarded the film 4 stars) and being a fan of other Coen films myself, I was extremely letdown after my viewing tonight.
Unlike other Coen films, this film is not a dark comedy - it is simply a comedy about the "dark" subject of divorce law. Although there are a few comedic moments, the film never does anything original or remotely clever. The cliche jokes and slapstick humor are so predictable that for a while it seemed like maybe I was missing something; however, I soon found out that there is no deeper meaning, no deeper level of humor, no big payoffs - just a commercially viable, star-studded film with a highly respected director attached. (An example of the level of humor used in the film can be seen 2 or 3 times when Clooney's character and his assistant look at each other for a second and then scream at the top of their lungs because they realize that something bad just happened. (See: Home Alone 1, 2 and 3, The Hot Chick, Freaky Friday, etc))
Unfortunately, this film is not even in the same league as other Coen films. It doesn't even seem like a Coen film. Rather, it's more like a caricature or poorly written treatment of a Coen film.
None of the characters were written with enough consideration so as to give viewers a reason to care what happens to them. All the actors (especially Clooney) do a wonderful job of trying to breathe as much life as possible into their roles, but in the end it doesn't help make up for the thin plot and the over-the-top, cartoonish humor.
Barsanti makes an interesting point in his review: “Intolerable Cruelty” is without a doubt the most different movie that the Coens have done yet, and for a filmmaking duo that always seemed just barely a half step away from self-parody, that has to be a good thing."
I agree with his initial observation but disagree with the conclusion. "Intolerable Cruelty" is a very bad thing for anyone who is a fan of other Coen films.
Unlike other Coen films, this film is not a dark comedy - it is simply a comedy about the "dark" subject of divorce law. Although there are a few comedic moments, the film never does anything original or remotely clever. The cliche jokes and slapstick humor are so predictable that for a while it seemed like maybe I was missing something; however, I soon found out that there is no deeper meaning, no deeper level of humor, no big payoffs - just a commercially viable, star-studded film with a highly respected director attached. (An example of the level of humor used in the film can be seen 2 or 3 times when Clooney's character and his assistant look at each other for a second and then scream at the top of their lungs because they realize that something bad just happened. (See: Home Alone 1, 2 and 3, The Hot Chick, Freaky Friday, etc))
Unfortunately, this film is not even in the same league as other Coen films. It doesn't even seem like a Coen film. Rather, it's more like a caricature or poorly written treatment of a Coen film.
None of the characters were written with enough consideration so as to give viewers a reason to care what happens to them. All the actors (especially Clooney) do a wonderful job of trying to breathe as much life as possible into their roles, but in the end it doesn't help make up for the thin plot and the over-the-top, cartoonish humor.
Barsanti makes an interesting point in his review: “Intolerable Cruelty” is without a doubt the most different movie that the Coens have done yet, and for a filmmaking duo that always seemed just barely a half step away from self-parody, that has to be a good thing."
I agree with his initial observation but disagree with the conclusion. "Intolerable Cruelty" is a very bad thing for anyone who is a fan of other Coen films.