Judy Thorburn's Movie Reviews
Mr. And Mrs. Smith
- Details
- Category: Judy Thorburn
- Published on 24 November 2008
- Written by Judy Thorburn
Judy Thorburn
Mr. And Mrs. Smith
Las Vegas Tribune - http://www.lasvegastribune.com
Las Vegas Round The Clock - http://www.lasvegasroundheclock.com
The Women Film Critics Circle - http://www.wfcc.wordpress.comThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">
kreatia@This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
“Mr. and Mrs. Smith"– FOR BRAD AND ANGELINA IT’S THE PITTS
There has been so much talk about the supposed love match between two of Hollywood’s most beautiful superstars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie that who knows if it has all been a clever marketing and publicity ploy for their new movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, in which they share top billing. Whether they indeed are an item or not (neither will make a comment) fans are eating it up, and wanting to see for themselves if their affair translates to some hot stuff on screen. But, enough about all this La La land gossip, even if it is juicy. The bottom line is, whether the tabloids or news shows have it right, the buzz has been so strong as to stir up enough interest to bring in audiences for their film, at least in the opening week for starts.
Well, the news isn’t good. Yes, Brad and Angie are beautiful human specimens. Even though I am not crazy about seeing Brad with such short hair, he can get away with it because of that face and hunky body. Angie, on the other hand is pure female perfection, it makes me sick (only kidding). So, you would think it would be only natural to see dynamite chemistry between the two ignited on screen. Guess again. To my surprise, these two never sizzled. And, it gets worse.
First of all, audiences have to suspend belief if we are to buy the preposterous premise that a couple, married for six years, is totally unaware that the other is secretly an accomplished highly paid assassin.
Actually, the story can be broken down in three parts.
Part one opens with Jane (Jolie) and John Smith (Pitt) sitting in separate chairs talking to a heard, but not seen, therapist about present difficulties in their marriage. Flashback to how they met (5 or six years ago, depending on who is talking) in Bogota, Colombia during a revolution, through their whirlwind 6-week courtship, and up to their present married life in a luxurious mansion in the suburbs, complete with high tech whistle and bells.
It is obvious, by their lack of communication that their marriage has hit a brick wall with boredom setting in. Each goes about their unsuspected prospective business as a hit man for competing agencies until one day each is sent on the same mission, to off another operative, Benjamin, “The Tank”, Danz (Adam Brody, TV’s the O.C.) The job gets botched when each compromises the other’s work. That leads to Part 2 when Jane and John’s cover is blown and they are given orders to kill each other. Since there doesn’t seem to be any love lost, what happens next is an explosive game of cat and mouse in their cars, and culminates in a showdown in their house where everything gets shot up and destroyed before they come to realize this excitement was all it took to put a spark back in their marriage and a reason for some hot sex. So violence is a real turn on…yeah, right! That’s not exactly a good message to send, especially to young impressionable minds.
If this vicious battle, in what could have resulted in death, seems a bit familiar that’s because it was the central focus of 1989’s War of the Roses starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, a darker much better movie about a marriage breakdown to the ultimate extreme. And 1985’s Prizzi’s Honor also comes to mind, in which Turner starred opposite Jack Nicholson, as assassins by day, lovers by night, hired to kill each other.
In any case, in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the action gets pumped and in full force in part 3, as the renewed lovebirds, John and Jane, team up to fight the competing organizations that want them dead.
Screenwriter Simon Kinsburg has essentially mixed the premises of the previous movies mentioned, while adding something extra about re-discovering love and trust in a marriage (with killing being the mending factor….ugh!)
Kingsburg fills his semi-dark story with humor, romance, and lots of action, pyrotechnics, and some witty banter between the stars. Of course, you get the obligatory highway chase scene, crashes, fires, explosions and use of state of the art weaponry. In other words there is plenty of violence and not much substance. Doug Liman, at the helm of 2002’s winning Bourne Identity, has proven to be a great action director. But, his talents are wasted on this piece of drivel.
Vince Vaughn has a small supporting comical role as John’s associate, a grown man who lives with his unseen mother because he says, “she is the only woman I can trust”. Kerry Washington, so great as “Ray” Charles’ wife in last year’s biopic has a throwaway, bit part as Jane’s friend/ agency colleague. But, 99% of the screen time is focused on the two leads that everyone else seems like disposable props. As for Brad, this film is a walk in the park and ditto for Angie who once again plays another female action figure.
As a mindless piece of movie escapism with human eye candy being the main draw I expect the box office numbers to be high, initially. But, I can already see video stores making room on their shelves. Mr. and Mrs. Smith? The Pitts is a more aptly suited title, if you get my drift.