(non-spoiler review)
As I so cleverly wrote in my previous post we were joined by Mr. and Mrs. Smith at the weekend premiere of their life story, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. All joking aside Mr. and Mrs. Smith is the new Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt movie that everyone is talking about…or is it their rumored love affair that everyone is talking about?
I was hoping against hope that this movie would not be one of those popcorn movies in which the pre-movie hype was bigger and better than the film. It was not. This movie was everything it set out to be and perhaps a bit more. If you’ve seen the trailer then you know that the premise of this movie is that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (John and Jane Smith) are a couple in a mundane marriage in which each is living a secret life as an assassin. Unknowingly given the same assignment from their rival organizations they discover the truth about each other and violence ensues.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were terrific in this movie. Regardless of what may or may not be going on in their personal lives, their on-screen chemistry was electric and never felt forced. And I’m not just talking about their romantic/sexual chemisty. They looked very comfortable together onscreen and their comic timing, etc. was great. I enjoy Brad Pitt in movies where his character is quirky or bizarre. Others prefer the more macho, pretty boy roles. There is a little of something for everyone in this movie. Brad Pitt takes the suave, tough guy aspects of the John Smith character and adds the slightest twist so that you can see a bit of the dork in there as well. Angelina Jolie is equally impressive in making Jane Smith a beautiful and witty femme fatale with a slight bit of vulnerability. One would have to assume that Pitt and Jolie had a great deal of fun making this movie as that is certainly what is projected on screen.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well the script balanced the action and humor and romance. I never felt like one area was being overemphazied to the detriment of the other areas. While all movies of this sort are filled with improbabilities, especially in the action department, I felt like the director maintained control and didn’t allow things to get out of hand. Everything was played for effect, but not overplayed. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were genuinely attractive, the action scenes were genuinely exciting and the comedic moments were genuinely funny. Mr. and Mrs. Smith just works really well and I had a lot of fun at this movie. The couples therapy bookends added an extra element of humor that helps make this movie a cut above similar efforts.
I can’t say much more without spoiling your fun but I will say that Mr. and Mrs. Smith is worth seeing while it is in the theatre. Buy the popcorn and enjoy a few hours of pure cinematic fun.
Lord a-mighty, I loved me this movie.
I just can’t bring myself to go to the theater and see it. Call me biased, but the whole off screen fiasco, true or not, has tainted this one for me. Maybe a rental.
I guess I’m just jaded, but I honestly don’t think many celebrities put much effort into their marriages, let alone much thought into how to make them work in the first place so it never surprises me when they don’t last. Its sad, it really is.
I respect your reasoning for not seeing it, but if you are planning on renting it anyway then I think you’re missing out on a fun theatre experience.
hopefully i’ll get around to seeing this next weekend… i heard from my friends how funny it was..
and my roomie wants to go see batman begins on opening day, wednesday.. i let her “twist my arm”..
I’m hoping we’ll get to see Batman Begins on Friday with my brother and his family as they just moved from Nebraska to Missouri. They live about an hour and a half away now instead of 5 hours. We’ll be at a bed and breakfast very close to their house on Wed and Thurs so we’re hoping to spend some time with them on Friday.
Oh I really want to see Batman Begins – I think, unlike many of the previous batmans (other than Michael Keaton) I think that Christian Bale can pull off both characters – Bruce Wayne and Batman and unlike Michael Keaton, he actually has the look as well…. Carl, I look foreward to your movie review of that movie.
As for this one, I was dubious, still am, as much as I like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, mostly in his quirky, bizarre roles, I wasn’t sure about seeing this. I could care less about their personal lives but it might hurt. Was it really worth seeing? Based on your review alone – I might just have to go.
There are so many movies coming out right now this one is at the bottom of my list by default.
Mysfit, James, et al…here’s the thing. If you like action movies then this won’t disappoint. If you like black comedies (ala’ Grosse Point Blank) then this won’t disappoint. It was just plain fun. When Pitt is doing his cocky/silly thing he really is at his best.
I probably would not have gotten to this movie if I wasn’t on vacation and planning on overloading with movies and if we hadn’t gone with friends, which made it that much more pleasurable when the movie turned out to be worth seeing. It picked a good time to come out, between Star Wars, Cinderella Man, and the upcoming Batman Begins and War of the Worlds.
If it was a stinker I would’ve said so and I would recommend it for DVD or not at all. There isn’t a draw to see this on the big screen like Star Wars, but if you’re going with a group of people and want a fun movie experience then the theatre is the place to see this.
Rob mentioned in the previous post that he had seen this movie and thought it was silly and fun, which sums it up pretty good.
The other thing about this one is, with the equally sexy co-stars, it appeals to both men and women as both are equally attractive, equally funny, and equally involved in the action.
Mysfit, if you haven’t seen it, I have a review of Batman Begins on my site from last week.. just FYI.
Sure Angela…rub it in! š
I would say that Gross Pointe Blank was a much blacker comedy than this one. Pitt & Jolie are more glam/prep whereas Cusack is waaaay more dark/ironic. Much different movie, imo.
Tom, there was this very relevant moment in the movie where the two are arguing about splitting after discovering that each other is a spy. Mrs. Smith says it’s time to “call this what it is” (a fake marriage). Mr. Smith is like no way, we stick this out and make it work. It was a really bizarre moment for me, given Pitt’s divorce in real life. He had to be thinking that same thing when they shot that scene!
Ang, I can’t WAIT for Batman. Oh man, that one’s gonna rock!
Yes, GBP is definately a different movie in some ways but I was thinking along the lines of a movie in which the characters are trading one liners between gun shots and in this way they are similar.
I haven’t watched that movie in a long time, need to Netflix this as I sold my VHS copy figuring I’d eventually get it on DVD.
Much Ado About Nothing, the Kenneth Branaugh version of Shakespeare’s play, is one of our favorites and we’ve watched it repeatedly. Its a fun movie when they made it Kenneth B. and Emma Thompson were married and they play the characters in this who start out hating each other and fall in love. Its sad to watch it now knowing they aren’t together anymore. I understand similar feelings when watching this one and thinking about Brad and Jennifer. Despite my cynicism for celebrity marriages it is no less sad when relatioships fail then it is for us “commoners”.
Loved GPB, definitely quirky and I loved Cusack and Akroyd. A lady at work says they didn’t divorce before that scene was filmed. Thanks for giving away that scene, though, now I don’t need to see the movie. Much Ado is great as well as Shakespeare in Love. Kind of like I won’t see Ocean’s 12 because of the over the top cast, I think 2 stars like Pitt and Jolie in the same movie is overkill and I find they stay Pitt and Jolie not their characters. Loved Pitt in Snatch. Great character.
I actually loved them together. About half way through the film I decided that if they were to ever make a Stainless Steel Rat movie Brad and Angelina would be perfect as Slippery Jim DiGriz and (ironically enough) Angelina!
Oh also, Tom, Brad and Angelina stay together and kill all the bad guys in the end. Just so you know.
My wife and I had the pleasure of seeing Mr and Mrs. Smith with Carl and Mary. I think Carl is right on with his review and this movie was better than I expected. I didn’t realize Brad and Angelina would handle all the quirky comedy aspects of the script so well. I thought they really did have a natural chemistry together.
It may not be a great film but it’s one to be seen on the big screen. I couldn’t just rent it down the road because it just wouldn’t have the same feel on my 27 inch TV with no surround sound.
I haven’t ever seen Much Ado About Nothing or Snatch. I will have to check them out Tom and Carl based on your recommendations.
Sidenote: Keri and I watched Emma last night and we enjoyed it. I hadn’t seen or read it before. Funny film.
Glad you liked it, its another of our favorites. Mary and I love all those period romantic films. You must see the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice..the one with Colin Firth. It is amazing. Quite long, took us a couple of nights to finish, but the whole thing is enjoyable and the pay off is well worth the time spent.
Hey Carl,
Was just thinking that it’s about time you dropped me a line.
forgottenmachine@yahoo.com
er…..if you want…..
Are we speaking of the dreaded “15 minute challenge”?
Actually I would like to do this but it will probably have to be next week since Mary and I are on vacation this week. I’ll look for a picture this week and then maybe do this on Saturday when I’m at work.
Well, I’d be dead keen to see your effort, but I just meant that it would be good to ‘chat’ via a more formal means of communication.
I got ya! Well, you have my email address now…or you should as I sent you a version of the above comment via email today as well.
And I would like to try that challenge as well as the 100 word challenge on Lisa Snellings site.