“Mr. and Mrs. Smith” (20th Century Fox)
Well the movie that created the world of “Brangelina” has finally arrived. Yes “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” made its way to theaters on the crest of a wave of publicity that asks the questions “Are he and she involved” and “Did she break up his marriage to Jennifer” In the past when such alleged lovelorn hi-jinks have occurred on the set of a movie the film has suffered because of it. Think “Gigli” or “Proof of Life.” But this movie is so much fun and the chemistry between the two leads is so good this it won’t stumble at all on its way to box office success.
John and Jane Smith (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) are first seen at the marriage counselor’s office. They have been married for five years and the magic has gone out of the relationship. Simply put they are bored with each other. Both apparently work routine jobs and their lives have gotten into a rut. Through flashbacks we see when they first met and got married.
One day John and Jane discover they are both hired assassins and they have been assigned to kill each other. This perks the movie up and leads to some terrific action sequences as well as some searingly hot chemistry between the two leads. All that transpires is fun and exciting and gives the audience an exciting ride.
The problem is it goes on for too long. The movie seems not to know when or where to end. It gets the two leads working together for a common purpose that is survival, but it doesn’t have anywhere logical to take it. So the movie goes from one adventure to the next until it finally just peters out.
If one of the stars is brighter than the other it is Jolie. She has never looked better, acted cooler, or seemed to enjoy herself so much on screen. She handles her role with a casual air and matches Pitt beat for beat and breath for breath. He has to break a sweat just to keep up with her.
Pitt is almost on her level. You can believe her character would be attracted to a man such as the one he plays. He too is at his coolest in this movie and tosses off one liners like they were ad libs.
It is a little poignant to have Pitt playing a man trying to save his marriage when his own true life marriage was ending as the movie was being filmed. This little intrusion of real; life into reel life is thought provoking, but doesn’t lessen the enjoyment of the film.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence and becomes a little excessive in scenes such as the one where John is kicking Jane when she is down. That is a little too much violence even in this fantasy film.
Aside from getting sluggish in the final third of the film this movie keeps the laughs and the thrills coming. Pitt and Jolie are a potent pair who make the celluloid sizzle with their looks and their banter. Whether or not they have chemistry off screen is unknown, but on screen they do with a capital “C.”
I scored “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” a married 7 out of 10.
