Friday, October 10, 2003

PG-13

For sexual content, language, brief violence

Comedy, Romance

George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Geoffrey Rush, Billy Bob Thornton, Cedrick the Entertainer, Paul Adelstein, Kristin Datillo, Julia Duffy, Edward Herrmann, Stacey Travis

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone

Joel Coen

Intolerable Cruelty (2003)

Intolerable Cruelty is a romantic comedy about a man who wins in court and a woman who courts to win.

Clooney portrays Miles Massey, a prominent Los Angeles divorce attorney who has everything—and in some cases, two of everything. Despite his impressive client list, a formidable win record, the respect of his peers and an ironclad contract (the "Massey pre-nup") named after him, he's reached a crossroads in his life. Sated on success, boredom has set in and he's looking for new challenges.

All that changes when Miles meets his match in the devastating Marylin Rexroth (Zeta-Jones). Marylin is the soon-to-be ex-wife of his client Rex Rexroth (Edward Herrmann), a wealthy real estate developer and habitual philanderer. With the help of hard charging private investigator Gus Petch (Cedric The Entertainer), she has Rex nailed and is looking forward to the financial independence a successful divorce will bring. But thanks to Miles' considerable skills, she ends up with nothing.

Not to be outdone, Marylin schemes to get even and as part of her plan, quickly marries oil tycoon Howard Doyle (Billy Bob Thornton). Miles and his unflappable associate, Wrigley (PAUL ADELSTEIN), unwittingly dig themselves in deeper and deeper as they go head-to-head with Marylin. Underhanded tactics, deceptions and an undeniable attraction escalate as Marylin and Miles square off in this classic battle of the sexes.