I’ve been dreading this one. Not because I dislike it, but because I couldn’t imagine I’d have much to say about it…and I was right.
Intolerable Cruelty isn’t a bad film, and it’s not even a Coen-for-hire film (which it sometimes gets saddled with), but it’s just not my thing. I can appreciate the acting, the comedy, and some of the weird Coen touches, but I just don’t enjoy this one all that much, and I don’t plan on ever watching it again.
It all comes down to comedic taste, and I am not a screwball comedy guy and, despite this being one of the only Coen films to take place in the present, this is a straight up 1930s/40s screwball comedy. It’s the type of comedy I can appreciate but doesn’t make me laugh. The interaction about Kirshner, the “have you sat before her before?” scene, the silly names, etc. It’s all very amusing, but I find it more tiring than funny. Once again, this is just my taste in comedy; I can understand plenty of people finding this to be their most underappreciated film.
I truly have nothing else to add beyond some DVD special feature stuff and random thoughts, so I’m not going to make myself pad this out to a thousand words when a couple hundred will do it. Intolerable Cruelty just isn’t for me.
DVD Special Features
This is a relatively bare bones release featuring standard making-of doc, which was interesting just because it mentions that the Coens weren’t originally going to direct but it just somehow happened.
There’s a short segment on the fashion of the film. Okay.
Then there are the “Filmmaker Approved and Arranged” deleted scenes and outtakes. By far the most interesting aspect of the release. Not because the scenes are interesting, but because of the ones the Coens apparently approved. First up is a supercut of Paul Adelstein saying “Everyone eats berries.” Then a George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones outtake compilation. And, finally, the train footage Rex Rexroth watched while bouncing around with women. This was definitely them just fucking with the DVD people when they came to them for input.
Random Thoughts
Were pool guys just plowing through Hollywood housewives in the ‘90s and early ‘00s? Between this and Airheads and Extract (just off the top of my head; I'm sure there are a lot more), it seems like more of a common problem than it probably really was.
“That's my Daytime Television Lifetime Achievement Award!”
The “gizmo,” or “Intruder” has to be a predecessor for Clooney's device in Burn After Reading.
“When Marilyn and I first met, we were crazy about each other. Not emotionally, of course.”
I want a subscription to Living Without Intestines Magazine.
The senior partner is easily the most Coen element in the movie.
Billy Bob Thornton is playing such a wildly different character than he did in the Coens’ previous film. It's funny that he went from a character who barely talked to one who wouldn't shut up. I'm sure the casting was a little in-joke for them.