The Coens Part 6: The Lazy Disappointments

So I’m not going to spend too much time talking about two movies that I didn’t really like that much.

Intolerable Cruelty (2003)

This is a movie that could have been really good, but they pussed out at the end. They set this up as an anti-romantic comedy about two repulsively self-interested people but it ends in rather convenient and boring way. It would have been worthy of the Coen brand if they both died in an ironically appropriate and violent way at the end. But instead, they live happily ever after. What a cop out.

"Who's on first?"

Ladykillers (2004)

I really liked Tom Hanks and Ima P. Hall (the old lady) in this film. But man, Marlon Wayans did not fit. Now, I could take a Scary Movie 2 shot here, but Marlon Wayans was pretty good in Requiem For A Dream. So I can see why the Coens would take the chance. But the crude humor just didn’t fit. Again, I’m all for vulgarity, if it works. But it doesn’t work at all in Ladykillers. I think that they should be beyond irritable bowl jokes. It isn’t bad, but it’s very average.

But if you’re going to have 13 feature films, this isn’t a bad one to have as you week link. Coppola has Jack, Spielberg has Hook (and now the latest Indiana Jones debacle. Seriously, what the hell?), Scosese has Bringing Out The Dead. Ladykillers is way better than those pieces of crap.

Here's the trailer.