Movie Review by EDF
Starring: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Adam Brody, Kerry Washington
Director: Doug Liman
The concept is not actually original as John Huston’s black comedy PRIZZI’S HONOR had already used a similar plot that is the basis to MR & MRS SMITH but this film is a rollercoaster ride that does do its best to surprise people. We have all read the stories about how Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie supposedly took their on screen romance off screen. Whether it’s the marketing hype machine or just lazy tabloids coming up with a bunch full of nothing to fill up column space, people will still be intrigued by what Pitt’s and Jolie’s on-screen romance is like.
The story starts off with both John (Brad Pitt) and Jane Smith (Angelina Jolie) facing the toughest questions ever being thrown at them, from a marriage guidance counsellor. The fact that they cannot decide whether they first meet five or six years ago is a clear indication to how this particular marriage works. Just like their marriage is an unknown union, they both lie to each other when it comes to their day jobs. Both of them are assassins who work for competing organisations and have up until now managed to keep this fact from their partner.
Unbeknown to either of them, they are sent out to assassinate the same person. The job ends as a bungled mess and the target escapes. Both John and Jane start piecing together all the evidence from the failed job and once they discover who the other assassin is, both their organisations order them to eliminate their spouse. Jane goes with her team to sweep their suburban home to find out more about her husband. Meanwhile, John goes to Eddie (Vince Vaughn), his slightly strung out friend who is ready for any action, for advice but John knows what he has to do and that is to kill Jane. Has living with the same person for five or six years really come down to this?
With this being one of the big action movies of the summer, Doug Liman has yet again delivered the goods. With an impressive list of movies already under his belt such as SWINGERS, GO and THE BOURNE IDENTITY, MR & MRS SMITH is justifiably up there. With its mix of humour, high octane action sequences such as the two assassins giving their home a complete bullet ridden makeover and of course two great looking leads, there’s something here for everyone. Admittedly, it’s all eye candy and since the script nearly keeps the plot together, there are a couple of things at the end of the movie that remain unresolved which kind of hints at a sequel.
