Mr. & Mrs. Smith

MR. & MRS. SMITH (Doug Liman, 2005)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie star as Mr. and Mrs. Smith in the film of the same name. John and Jane Smith have been married for five or six years, depending who you ask. Both are bored in the relationship, and no amount of therapy seems capable of repairing the damage. Unbeknownst to one another, John and Jane are professional assassins. Their paths cross on a job that neither completes successfully. With their identities compromised, John and Jane are commanded to eliminate the other or face execution at the hands of their employers.

MR. & MRS. SMITH features some ace action sequences and colors in the rest with an underlying theme about the importance of open communication in marriage. More attention is lavished on the fight and chase scenes than the relatively superficial message, but you don’t go to a big budget summer movie in search of Ingmar Bergman. MR. & MRS. SMITH’S highlights include the battle at home that leads to a different kind of grappling and a superb highway chase scene. Pitt and Jolie have palpable chemistry, and their scenes deliver all the heat that the tabloid gawkers have been anticipating. Jolie owns her role and gives a great movie star performance. MR. & MRS. SMITH gets off to a slow start, but when husband and wife take aim at one another, director Doug Liman finds his groove.

Grade: B

(Review first aired on the June 21, 2005 NOW PLAYING)