Mr. @ Mrs. Smith

Truly Great Films #11

A preposterous movie with enough 

chemistry to power a small city...

First things first. Mr. and Mrs. Smith - released in 2005 - is not some unheard of movie with a tiny budget.

Quite the contrary, this flick had a budget of 110 million dollars and paid back on its investment extremely well. 

Probably the biggest reason for that is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are just plain damn sexy. But there is a little more to it than that. They are both fine actors, too.

You handsome man, you

Mr. and Mrs. Smith, however, is a very likable film that deserves a place here on Truly Great Films simply for its chemistry.

Yep, chemistry between characters is something I really appreciate, and we don't get it enough. 

Look at Knight and Day. The chemistry between Cruise and Diaz is absolutely non-existent, and that's a real turn-off.

I want my main characters in whatever romantic comedy I'm watching to spark off one another. Another recent failure in this department is The Tourist, which is now an industry joke due to its lack of chemistry and humor.

Just here for the paycheck, babe

By all accounts, The Tourist should have been a winner for Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, but it wasn't. 

It seems that Jolie only really lights up when her man, Brad Pitt, is around. Can't really blame her, though, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is where they hooked up. 

And it shows.

In my review of 50 First Dates, one of the things I liked about the film was the natural playfulness between Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.

There is no playfulneess between Brad and Angelina. These two clearly want to bone.

On to the film....

John and Jane Smith are an unhappily married couple leading two separate lives without each other knowing. John is actually a highly paid assassin...and so is Jane. 

They each work for different government entities, and hide by day in their dull and mundane marriage.

All of that changes after a blown assignment. 

They are each ordered to take out the other by their superiors...which culminates into the best scene of the movie - the knock-down-drag-out fight in their home that ends in lovemaking and a rekindled relationship.

And they decide to the only way to stay alive is to work together...which leads to a superb piece of script writing. 

John and Jane argue about the 'web of lies' their marriage has produced - while escaping three BMW's filled with bad guys. 

Their car? A stolen Chrysler minivan.

The director, Doug Liman, had already proven his talent three years earlier with the incredibly awesome Bourne Identity. 

His work is just as good here, but with enormous amounts of humor thrown in. And it's the type of dialogue I like, because it happens during action sequences.

I am going to stop here and let you rediscover this movie for yourself. 

I am going to warn you, however, that Vince Vaughn is in Mr. and Mrs. Smith - and yes - he is uber-annoying. So far, I never seen him be anything but annoying - that's just me, though.

Is Mr. and Mrs. Smith based on a ridiculous premise? Absolutely.

Is it still unbelievable fun? You bet. I am willing to suspend certain amounts of disbelief in exchange for fantastic dialogue and great action.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith delivers both in spades.


Just be ready to suspend your disbelief a little bit, make some popcorn...and enjoy.