2/5 Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Bratt Pitt plays John Smith (the most anonymous name ever!) while Angelina Jolie plays wife Jane Smith, both living double lives as secret agents, unbeknownst to each other.
One day, they are both assigned to take out a bad guy, only to have their attempts foiled by each other. Each goes searching for the enemy agent only to find out that they are after each other!
Really dumb, cartoonish film with no redeeming qualities. Pitt and Jolie make an attractive couple, but the plot, of which there is more than I mentioned, isn't intriguing at all. It's a poor cousin to both War of the Roses and True Lies.
Directed by Doug Liman, responsible for the directing the Bourne Identity and producing both Bourne films starring Matt Damon, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is an example of what's wrong with so many films today - no substance beyond the eye candy. Angelina Jolie is deliciously sexy at all times, whether she's laying out dinner escaping out the window from her Manhattan skyscraper suite. Brad Pitt goes through the motions, but doesn't turn in a performance that will be remembered for an Oscar nomination.
Not something I would buy on DVD, see again or recommend.
Article comments
1 - Victor Plenty
Interesting that you compare it to True Lies, and less than favorably. As soon as I saw the trailer for this film, I immediately imagined someone at a movie studio watching True Lies and thinking "Hey, it'd be cool to remake this movie, but with both the wife and the husband living secret lives of danger and intrigue!"
After filtering through a pack of hack screenwriters, and actors' agents with more talent for reading contracts than scripts, the result of that brainstorm might closely resemble what I saw in the trailer for Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Thanks for confirming that I can safely skip this one.
2 - Cerulean
Good view. I was already thinking it would be too violent for me. I'll wait until I can Tivo and it and skip to the good parts.
Can I ask where you got that picture where they are wearing yellow glasses? I'd like to get pictures for my articles.
3 - Triniman
It's from MSN.com.
4 - Cerulean
Thanks, do they have some kind of picture archive that you can post a link to?
5 - Eric Berlin
Yes, I noticed the True Lies connection (perhaps not in a good way) from the first as well.
I'd give it a 2/5 rating as well... or perhaps 2.5. It's not an awful film by any means and is fun in parts. Overall though, it doesn't quite manage to be "good" and can best be described as "okay."
6 - SFC SKI
There are movies that I will rush to see in the theater, movies that I will wait until the DVD comes out, and movies that I hope I will see only if someone else had paid to rent them and I have absolutely nothing better to do, like on an airplane or in the doctor's office.
Sounds like I found yet another for the 3rd category. IT looked like the best parts of the film were in the trailer, thanks for confirming my suspicions.
7 - mpho
Ooh, I actually disagree with you entirely. I am not typically one for low brow entertainment (unless I'm directly involved in creating it--e.g. look ma, no hands) so it's rather unusual that I even went to see this film. While I tried to go with an open mind, I went into it with the full knowledge that I was wasting ten bucks and spending 2 hrs. in an unusually excruciating manner. Instead, I was highly entertained for what I ended up considering a reasonable price. Yes, The War of the Roses and True Lies came to mind. But I actually thought that for what Mr. & Mrs. Smith is, it's not too shabby. Indeed, there is a cartoonish-ness about it, and that's the thing to keep in mind. The other factor that made it a nice escape was the fact that the dialogue was more clever than I expected it to be. Sure it was all cliche, but I thought the worked it pretty well--well enough for me to go along w/ the plot twists and turns, no matter how ridiculous. And were they ridiculous? Of course. Was the film believeable in any way, shape or form? No. Was it fun pretending it was all real? Hell ya! With eye candy like those two provide, some action, some intentionally silly dialogue and a self-consciousness soap opera feel, it was great, great fun. Kinda like the Ocean's 11 remake. No cinematic genius but good entertainment. That's my 50 cents.
8 - SFC SKI
So you went in with low expectations and it met them?
9 - Triniman
mpho;
Would you see this film again or buy it on DVD?
10 - jarboy
i LOATHED this film.
well, i didn't actually see it, but that doesn't stop most people other from expressing their opinions, either.
11 - mpho
sfc ski, i went to with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised that low, in this instance, didn't equate painful. triniman, i wouldn't go see it again, but the only movie i've ever seen twice at the theatre is the first Matrix (hated the sequels). I also wouldn't buy it on dvd, but I don't own any dvds because I'm not one to watch movies over and over. BUT, if I owned a tv and Mr. & Mrs. Smith came on, I'd watch it again. Or if I was at a friends and they wanted to watch it, I'd willingly sit through it again.
12 - Cerulean
I want to see it because of the stars but I don't like violent movies. I guess I'll have to wait until I can Tivo it and skip through to the good parts, if there are any.
13 - Ben Rollman
The good parts in these types of movies ARE the violent parts. This is like an Ahnold movie but with sexier stars. It's fluf, candy. You want meat and potatoes, go rent Whale Rider. These movies are meatn for you to eat popcorn and feel a little rush, nothing more.
And, honestly, if you're not going to see it in a theater, with the big sounds and large screen, don't wait for DVD, just don't see it.
14 - Evan
I'm surprised no one's mentioned the interesting derivation from Bonnie and Clyde.
15 - SFC SKI
Early this morning, I watched Angelina Jolie interviewed on The Actor's Studio. She presents a much different image from the characters she plays (yes, I know she's an actress), and is much more interesting than most puff pieces let on.
16 - Film Cynic
it actually plays on a number of levels. maybe you saw what you wanted to and couldn't see the rest?
17 - Triniman
Film Cynic - do share your observations about how it works on a number of levels with the rest of us.
18 - Sarah willow
This is like the best movie ever! Definately in my top choices of movies!
19 - jennifer Perkins
this movie is like oh my god ! its so frekin awesome ! like oh my god ! like totally !
20 - Tim Pfeister
I love this movie. No, the plot is not incredibly deep, but it doesnt need to be, it is a comedy after all. The action is great, but what i like best about it is the humor and truth about relationships and marriage. This isnt some deep low budget film festival movie. No, it was made to make money, but get over that, and enjoy the film, thats what it was made for!