2008 Woodie Awards
Sexy action comedy rescued by good casting
By Nick Gligor
Rocket Staff Writer
Issue date: 12/9/05 Section: Entertainment
We should consider ourselves lucky that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were cast as the leads in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, because if it had been anyone else, we probably would've had a terrible, terrible mess. Of course, Doug Liman (Swingers, The Bourne Identity) is no slouch himself, and knows how to craft a good action-packed film. He also recognizes chemistry and knows how to direct the actors involved.
This is why Pitt and Jolie are so good: the undeniable chemistry. They're very reserved in their delivery, yet extremely funny while doing it. Not to mention they're two of Hollywood's sexiest people, who are armed with guns, get to drive fast sports cars and blow things up. Something for everyone right?
The premise of the film is quite simple. On the surface, John (Pitt) and Jane (Jolie) Smith are a normal married couple with a fairly boring love life and regular jobs. What they don't know is that they are both highly trained, well-groomed (and perfectly choreographed) assassins working for opposing organizations. And when they find out that they're hired to assassinate each other, the action gives their marriage just the spark it needs to be reinvigorated. Ridiculous? Yes. Excessive? You betcha. Entertaining? Almost.
The fast-paced action flies at you by the barrel, and the awkward dinner scenes between the two are entertaining. But after awhile, the film starts to drag. The story, though intriguing, didn't quite reach its potential. Unfortunately, you can't help but feel a little restless.
It's safe to say the story was sort of jumbled together in the first place. The script alone reportedly went through more than 50 drafts. Nicole Kidman was originally cast as Mrs. Smith and then dropped out. Names such as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Gwen Stefani were floating around, while Brad Pitt was playing musical chairs deciding whether he was in or out. Johnny Depp and Will Smith were considered at one point to replace Pitt. And to top it off, multiple endings were shot, but none were even used.
This is why Pitt and Jolie are so good: the undeniable chemistry. They're very reserved in their delivery, yet extremely funny while doing it. Not to mention they're two of Hollywood's sexiest people, who are armed with guns, get to drive fast sports cars and blow things up. Something for everyone right?
The premise of the film is quite simple. On the surface, John (Pitt) and Jane (Jolie) Smith are a normal married couple with a fairly boring love life and regular jobs. What they don't know is that they are both highly trained, well-groomed (and perfectly choreographed) assassins working for opposing organizations. And when they find out that they're hired to assassinate each other, the action gives their marriage just the spark it needs to be reinvigorated. Ridiculous? Yes. Excessive? You betcha. Entertaining? Almost.
The fast-paced action flies at you by the barrel, and the awkward dinner scenes between the two are entertaining. But after awhile, the film starts to drag. The story, though intriguing, didn't quite reach its potential. Unfortunately, you can't help but feel a little restless.
It's safe to say the story was sort of jumbled together in the first place. The script alone reportedly went through more than 50 drafts. Nicole Kidman was originally cast as Mrs. Smith and then dropped out. Names such as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Gwen Stefani were floating around, while Brad Pitt was playing musical chairs deciding whether he was in or out. Johnny Depp and Will Smith were considered at one point to replace Pitt. And to top it off, multiple endings were shot, but none were even used.
