*** Official MR. AND MRS. SMITH Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Chuck Mayer]

I decided in 2002 that Doug Liman had earned a free pass. Meaning that the direction in Bourne was so smart, controlled, and creative that I'd see, regardless, his next film. And here it is.

First off, it's a fine film, with wit and charm, and plays off the two leads quite well. It's not all it could have been, and it opens and builds much stronger than the basic action ending can pay off. There is certainly a truly fun metaphorical film somewhere in the cracks. Perhaps the script spit it out, perhaps the studio did, perhaps Liman didn't go all the way. But what is there is a good time for the grown-ups...especially the married ones.

Seth and I commented on this a while ago. Brad Pitt should play Captain America. He's got the looks, the physique, the grit, and the charisma. While being one of the most beautiful specimens on the planet (and he is), he can still play a guys guy, be normal, and act like a pro. It's hard to not like him. For all of his physical attributes, he has a large reservoir of charm to go with it.

Angelina hasn't been in a movie I've wanted to see in some time. She's an odd bird; but as she's matured, I've become a lot more interested in her. She has such strong, feminine features that each of them taken on their own might be too much, but the sum is greater than the whole of her parts. Acting-wise, she's probably been better, but this part is as much about presence as dialogue. And Angelina has great presence.

Technically, the film is well done, though not exceptional. The director expects the cast and the action to carry it, and they do. Early on, there is some real work towards this film being a metaphor for the differences between men and women. It does rather well at that. But it sadly takes a backseat halfway through. Toss in a subtle Fight Club reference or two, plus an overt one, and there you go.

But I liked it. Like the Ocean's films, it coasts on the cast. The action is good, though not nearly as good as The Bourne Identity. Some VERY brief supporting turns by Keith David and Angela Bassett (both UNSEEN) along with (possibly) Don Cheadle's voice (I'd bet on it). Plus a little Vince Vaughn, reteaming with Liman. He's amusing, in his one-note role as "the buddy".

I'd love to see the deleted material.

7.5/10,
Chuck

EDIT: Changed KD to Keith David.

 

[Quentin]

I enjoyed it slightly more than Chuck. It DOES coast a lot on the amazing good looks and charisma of the lead pair. They have effortless chemistry and are pretty much the two most beautiful people on the planet.

I think the main reason the film peters out a bit at the end is two-fold:

First of all, there is not enough breather room after each action sequence. I felt a little more of a rest with some characterization would have helped (perhaps deleted material?).

Second, the action sequences are big and likely expensive...but they are OH SO uninventive. I kept thinking about TRUE LIES (the OTHER married spy film) where they have a horse/motorcycle chase, a men's room shootout, Arnold using a fuel truck as flame thrower, Harriers blowing out a bridge during a chase, and a nuclear explosion...that leaves out the horrid end sequence, which I hate but is still inventive! This film just has guns and more guns. No creativity at all!!! Too bad.

A- or 8.5/10

 

[Kevin Grey]

Holy hell this movie was a blast. Far better than it had any right to be. Like its obvious influence True Lies it really blended comedy and action almost perfectly.

I think this one is going to do great stuff at the box office (besides its already stellar weekend take). Its been a long time since I've heard such a good reaction from an audience.

And the car chase was the best I've seen in a long while.

 

[Doug Miller]

I really enjoyed the movie (although not the experience at the theater, but that's another lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng story). Chemistry was great. Being married I think made this movie even better. Very entertaining.

I agree with most so far, the ending was a little weak and too abrupt. (Sequel would be easy though, but would lose a lot of the "tension" between the characters.) I'll buy the DVD if it's around $16 and has a deleted scene or two.

When you think about it, this is near a perfect movie (from a demographics sense, not story/quality sense). Action , Relationship Tension , Jolie and Pitt . Really, no matter your orientation or taste, you're pretty much guaranteed to get something out of the movie you like.

Doug

 

[Haggai]

Veering between "mediocre" and "pretty darn good," I'll lean towards the latter in the end, as Jolie and Pitt just own the screen in their scenes together. I wasn't expecting a lot from the action scenes down the stretch, and they weren't great, but I didn't think they were bad either. A few nice touches here and there in the car chase, and in the final shootout, kept it going reasonably well for me. A good example of the sort of thing they should have focused more on, instead of the chases/explosions, is the way their married life allows her to ID him from the video of when they were both out there in the desert:

She recognizes the way he shakes his leg before he takes a piss!


The bad: Vince Vaughn's dialogue, none of which is any good. He's more than capable of being funny, but not when he has nothing funny to do or say. I suspected as much from the trailer, since the "here's some comic relief" bits weren't any good there to begin with. And, this young guy Adam Brody, as the prisoner...OMG, he was dreadful. Thankfully, he didn't have much to do, as he brought nothing whatsoever to what should have been at least a slightly amusing little role. Maybe he's OK in his TV shows (I don't watch any of them), but please keep him far, far away from the movie screen.

And give me more of Brad and Angie, what a teriffic star pairing. Props to Liman for what was clearly the best scene in the movie: the tension-filled dinner at home just after they've first discovered the truth about each other, plus the little car/foot chase that ensues. GREAT sequence.

 

[Jordan_E]

It was no classic, but it was a good enough summer release. The wife enjoyed it a lot more than I did. Coulda had around 20 minutes trimmed, as I started checking my watch about 3/4 into it.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I really enjoyed this one. Saw it twice, each time with a large group, and EVERYONE enjoyed it.

It won't win any oscars and it won't become a classic, but its worth seeing nonetheless.

 

[Kyle Richardson]

I think I enjoyed this movie more than most people here and have to say that it is one of the best movies I've seen in a while. It is certainly the best comedy I've seen lately and it wasnt even portrayed as a comedy either - maybe its because I'm married and could relate quite well with a lot of the scenes

 

[Shawn_KE]

Movie was much better than I thought it would be. Enjoyed it. Decent action and some funnies.

But I noticed they cut a scene from the movie that was in the trailer, the part where Pitt is riding a tricycle and shooting a machinegun. Kina sad, cause that was one of the main things that made me want to see it :frowning:

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an Official Discussion Thread.



Crawdaddy

 

[Sebastien S]

Loved this movie and can't wait to buy it on DVD!

 

[Tim Glover]

Saw it this weekend. It was fun. Like Chuck and others have said, there's probably a better movie in there somewhere...but it still works as is. Could've been a little tighter and shorter perhaps.

But, Pitt & Jolie do have tremendous screen chemistry. That sells the film alone and elevates the tension or the concern from me when I might have checked out a few times.

Pitt surprised me as being very charming without looking like just Brad Pitt? I think it's his best performance in a long time.

Good movie, good fun, at times a hoot, other times needed some fine tuning....but I give it

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 /:star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Kachi Khatri]

Being under the direction of Doug Liman, I have to say this is a solid entertainment and simply fun for adults. The charm and humour with Pitt and Jolie is what it makes it believable. The main casts are magnetic and their on screen chemistry is spot on.

As far as the script is concerned, it is lightbreeze in a hollywood way and leaves not much room for interpretation. Though I feel it may have benifitted by adding some missing 'fillers' that would be welcome concerning the 'faceless' antagonists.

Regardeless this a fun film that has entertaining action puff piece. It is not meant as a thought-provoking or deeply insightful.

This is one that could use a director's cut on DVD.

2.5/4

 

[Mike Graham]

Very entertaining, the two leads turn in wonderful performances. Didn't like the cutoff ending, however. It would've been better to see the couple reach a settlement with their two employers.

 

[Jon B NY]

The main bulk of the film was entertaining. The very end was terrible. It's worth 16 dollars the week it comes out if its got an audio commentary or a deleted scene.

 

[Adam_S]

:star::star::star::star:
06/22/2005
35mm

An extremely enjoyable and funny film from Doug Liman. I loved every moment of this flick, it's a great piece of entertainment if completely nonsensical (at least it's also joyously nonsensical). Such a well done and all-around enjoyable star vehicle is delightful.

In short, husband and wife, both international professional assassins unaware of each other. However suddenly their separate firms each 'independently' sends the other to take out a target. There they almost kill each other but don't positively ID each other. So they put together the clues, figure things out and then realize they have to go head to head because the policy is 48 hours to clean up a mistake--which means they have to murder their spouse. That they manage to clean up their marriage and figure out how everything happened and learn to work together is just icing to the lack of significant plot.

The film is quite clever, from the use of the marraige counselor opening to the open ended closing (interesting for a sequel when they set up their own competing firm), this film has a lot in common with Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn romantic comedies--but with guns to accompany the battling repartee.

Overall, just exceptional to get popcorn that tastes this good.

 

[Ted Lee]

hmm ... i guess i didn't quite get into this as much. i didn't find anything interesting or original in the entire movie.

and the whole "bickering-while-someone-is-shooting-at-us" stuff just about drove me crazy.

i give this a C-

 

[questrider]

I thought it was okay as a Friday afternoon, day-off-from-work matinee for my wife and I. However, by the end of the film, I felt like I'd seen it all before...

Act I: Prizzi's Honor
Act II: The War of the Roses
Act III: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Throw in a little "When Harry Met Sally" for the opening and closing "therapy" sessions and you got yourself "Mr. and Mrs. Smith".

 

[Chris Atkins]

MR. AND MRS. SMITH

:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

For me, this flick was the "National Treasure" of 2005: a straight action flick, no pretentions, but a lot of fun. Wife and I just watched it for a Valentine's Day mini-date, and it was perfect fare for both of us.

 

[Holadem]

A dissapointment.

Great premise, good begining but gets sillier by the minute and by the end, I just didn't care anymore. I watched this last night and I am unable to remember how it ended.

It's good that the movie didn't take itself seriously, but I have a hard time believing in love between two people who are actually willing to kill each other, without a thought. Well, one of them anyway, as Jane came close many times.

:star::star:1/2 / 4.

--
H