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Pitt, Jolie overcome hype in "Smith" |
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Written by NED O'REILLY
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Wednesday, 15 June 2005 |
This is Hollywood at its hyped-up finest. Believe it or not, you can ignore all the gossip rag crap about the co-stars’ private lives and recognize that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie make a terrific on-screen couple. Even without any hot (read R-rated) love scenes, these two fill up every corner of every frame with enough sardonic or smartass remarks, arched eyebrows, and cool double takes that the film comes off as a fun and funny joyride.
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�"Mr. and Mrs. Smith�" |
 Entertainment
 Art
Directed by Doug Liman
Written by Simon Kinber
Starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, intense action, sexual content and brief strong language.
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What is surprisingly lacking here is innuendo, but this serves the comedy well. Why wouldn’t these two be out-of-control hot for each other? The premise is that John (Pitt) and Jane (Jolie) Smith have been married 5 or 6 years (a running gag), each without knowing that the other leads a private life as a hired assassin. Director Doug Liman shows us mundane dinner scenes in a suburban house and ordinary co-workers to keep us wondering what’s up until John and Jane each do a hit one evening before coming back together for a neighborhood party. It isn’t until halfway through the movie when the two of them tear up their house trying to kill each other that the Smiths finally show some passion. As the opening and ending sequences in a marriage counselor’s office indicate, Mr. And Mrs. Smith is a comedy first, an action flick second, and a romance a distant third. The best part of the film is when the two of them trade admissions about the many things they’ve lied about over the years while being chased by three sports cars full of killers. Liman also plays up the differences in the Smiths’ secret lives. John is more of a lone wolf, relying on guile, gadgets, and weaponry to pull off his jobs. His only real confidant is the comically paranoid motormouth Eddie (Vince Vaughn), who’s in the business, too, but whom we never see actually pull anything off. Jane, on the other hand, has an entire team of high-tech female assassins. Kerry Washington looks to be the best pal equivalent, but is given almost no lines and nothing significant to do. Adam Brody gets off a bunch of one-liners, though, as a hostage who may or may not be Jane or John’s next mark.
The story is hardly artful. Plot holes abound and neighbors and passers-by seem to think nothing of the violence taking place in their midst. All of the assassins after the Smiths are inept and too easily vanquished. Overall, this is a summer popcorn movie and will make for a good rental later. If the stars can survive the papparazzi, the chemistry on display here says they really should make another flick together. But keep it light. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
