Ok. I may get strung up for this, but I can honestly say the Coen brothers brand of Meldodramtic cinema is getting stale. I loved "The Hudsucker Proxy" and parts of "Fargo," but "Intolerable Cruelty" is teetering on the brink of my patience. Believe it or not, it's hilarious, probably the most original comedy out there this year and very enjoyable.

George Clooney (Oh, Brother Where Art Thou?) plays Miles Massey, an undefeatable divorce attorney who finds himself without a challenge until Marylin Rexroth, played by Academy Award winner Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago), comes into his life as an adversary. Clooney soon finds himself captivated by her ambition to divorce a wealthy man for his fortune, and he soon falls for the woman. Of course, the story isn't that easy, and you can guess what happens next.

This is where my problem with the picture lays. It is a tad on the predictable side. Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush (Shine) makes a small appearance in the picture. His character is used to find Rexroth a new husband, but not really. I know it's confusing, but trust me, once Billy Bob Thorton (Sling Blade) shows up, you can guess what's behind his character. That's as much as I'll say.

On the other hand, the ending of the picture is not predictable. At no time did I ever have a clue how director Joel Coen (Fargo, The Man Who Wasn't There) was going to end this flick. Also, in true Coen brothers' sense of dark comedy, the biggest laugh of the film comes when Massey and his associate confront a man they hired to kill Rexroth, named Weazy Joe, who when sprayed with mace, has a slight problem knowing the difference between a handgun and his inhaler.

I really do dig this pic and would suggest it for anyone with a wry sense of humor, but the performances are highly melodramatic without being "character" roles, like in "Hudsucker Proxy." That style of melodrama tends to make me role my eyes rather than laugh out loud. Coen brothers did a fine job on the script, creating legitimate situational comedy and charisma among rather unlikeable main characters.

I have a feeling this pic could translate into a decent TV sitcom.

Benn - Where's the Humanity?