Mr. & Mrs. Smith

—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

I went to this movie not sure exactly what to expect. In watching the trailers I had the impression that it was your standard Boy meets Girl, Girl marries Boy, and then Boy & Girl try to kill each other with high-tech weaponry. You know, run of the mill Hollywood stuff. I recently reviewed another movie, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and stated that “If your movie taste lean towards the thrill of watching things getting blown up, or fists flying in every direction… this is probably not the movie for you.� Well, now’s your time. This movie has more action than three WWII movies put together. Once you get past the opening scenes, there is very little down time. I can’t remember when I have seen more things blown up, people shot, or out-and-out destruction in a single two hour period. But in contrast, at the same time, it was a strangely funny -- very funny film. Add to this an odd love story and you have pretty much captured the premise of the movie and why it will be a big hit.

From the beginning of the story, the movie seized my attention as Brad Pitt (John Smith) and Angelina Jolie (Jane Smith) are meeting with a marriage counselor, evidently in the midst of incompatibility problems after 5 (or 6) years of marriage. As the movie begins to unfold we are shown how the couple met in a dangerous life threatening situation, that led to a wild sexual episode (though no nudity exposed on screen), followed by a lively short romantic liaison, and a quick marriage. However, the follow-on suburban married life, distinctly different from the world in which they met, creates a lackluster relationship between the two and the obvious reasons for their marital problems. Then all this suddenly and surprising changes! Which gives us our movie plot.

From the very first set of interviews with the marriage counselor you are made aware that there are secrets between the couple. And as anyone who has been in a long-term relationship can tell you, the key ingredient required for a successful and strong relationship is open communication and trust. But neither could possibly envision the depth of secrets that the other held. And once we get a glimpse of the Smiths at work as assassins, we are amazed at the cold matter-of-fact nature in which they complete their assignments. It is hard to imagine these two in a loving relationship of any kind.

If nothing changes, it is apparent that they will struggle on in a failing relationship and eventually divorcing. But then the unthinkable happens. Unbeknown to each other, they find themselves both assigned to the same “target�. One of them works for the Firm while the other for the Agency. Competitors in the assassination business, the competitor’s true nature never really revealed, though we are subtly led to believe that the “targets� are generally “bad� guys. As both the Smiths get in the way of each other’s assignment, and they fail to eliminate the “target�, they are not aware who the person is that foiled their assassination attempt – just that there is a witness to the attempt. This leads to an evidently rare decree common to both competitors. Any witnesses must be eliminated within 48 hours, or you yourself then become the target. So as each Smith runs down the identity of their witness and uncover the truth, the suspicion that they have been duped, used as a cover over the past 5 (or 6) years, begins to surface. After this shock, a miscommunication and accident, followed by another un-intended incident, the battle begins -- and two of the best in the business (John and Jane Smith) are pitted (no pun intended) against each other. Admittedly, an option a bit more extreme than divorce.

There is a lot of twist and turns from this point forward and I kept expecting it to turn out to be a “dark comedy� along the lines of 1989 movie The War of the Roses with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. I won’t give too much away, but as the movie draws to a close I was reminded of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but I won’t divulge the final scenes.

I had heard a lot about this movie prior to going to see it and wasn’t sure if it was the type of movie I would enjoy. I am ok with some shoot’em-up in flicks, but not really into every scene filled to the brim with something blowing up or someone dying, and also not a big advocate of dark comedies (too much of a contradiction for me). So you can imagine I was a bit hesitant at first. However, I lucked out once again and thoroughly enjoyed the film. Though it was never-ending shoot’em-up, the reaction of the main characters (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) was so bizarre that you couldn’t help but laugh. Most action films have characters who are so tense you can feel your own muscles tightening or they are so remote from the action (Arnold) that they are like a stone that you feel no emotions whatsoever for the character. But in the case of Mr. & Mrs. Smith the characters are neither tense nor stone-faced.

Much of the dialogue is not bracketed in fear or distress, even though massive death and mayhem is happening all around the characters, but instead is communicated in friendly banter between the two main characters. And this total contrast between how we the Viewers imagine we would feel in a similar situation and how the movie’s characters react to each other, and the destruction occurring around them, is what makes the movie work. There are some really funny scenes in the movie based upon this concept.

At first you might find it hard to identify or even care about these characters – I mean, after all, they are hired assassins. And even more so as they probably end up killing literally hundreds of people during the film. But, what tends to be overlooked is that the “targets� that they assassinate appear to be “bad� guys (though I am not advocating that it is ok to kill someone just because you think they are bad – I would have a lot less friends if that was the case :-). And the other folks that they end up killing are mostly other agents from one or other of their employers who are trying to kill them in the first place. So, you could easily say that no “innocents� are harmed in this film. In fact, there is one scene where Brad realizes he has a bomb in his clothes and throws them into a mailbox telling all the bystanders on the street “to get back� so they will not be harmed. Also, though the movie has a “PG-13� rating for violence, intense action, sexual content and brief strong language – it is not a blood and guts type of violence. I sometimes have a problem with this approach as it waters down the reality of violence and minimizes death. But in this case, it is done in such a cartoonish way that it really can’t be taken seriously. Don’t misunderstand, there are many scenes where people are being shot or blown up, but it is relatively bloodless and the accompanying dialogue and actions by the two main characters (Brad and Angelina) make it just seem so surreal that it is funny.

To really talk about some of the deeper meaning of this movie it really requires getting into the twist and turns of the film and how it is all resolved. So, I would suggest you first watch the movie and then come back to read the remaining section – or – go ahead if you do not mind knowing what is going to happen and read the below. It may give you some insight as you watch the film after reading the review.

“SPOILER� “SPOILER� “SPOILER� “SPOILER� “SPOILER�

I found it interesting that, after trying to eliminate each other, both Brad and Angelina find that they are incapable of really killing each other. That through their vicious attacks on each other; they re-discovered what it was that had attracted them to each other in the first place -- the passion and excitement, that was lost in their attempts to fit into the lie of living a suburban life. Basically they find that even though they have no emotions regarding the horrendous job they perform, they find themselves, probably for the first time in their lives, caring for another individual – and worse yet (at least from their professional perspective), they are really in love. The matter-of-fact way they deal with this reality is what makes the movie fun and interesting.

Consider the experience of these two. They are the best at what they do – killing people. Imagine what they would have to have gone through to obtain this distinction. They would have to be some of the coldest hearted individuals on the face of the earth. So how could these, heartless killers, fall in love. To the point where they would put their lives at risk for each other. I believe they found something that they could finally put on a pedestal higher than themselves. Something that generated more excitement and created more exhilaration than the high they received from their dangerous lifestyle. They found each other and a love that exceeded friendship or common brotherly love.

In Greek they have several different words for Love. One is Philia or Phileo; which is love between friends, or what you might call brotherly love. Another is Eros; which is used to indicate a sexual type of love. The last is Agape. Agape can be defined as selfless or sacrificial love. This is the kind of love that I believe Mr. and Mrs. Smith found. A love which is rarely found, but once found, must be held at all cost.

In the bible the word love is used interchangeably, however, when Jesus talks about sinners and his love for them – He uses Agape. And I imagine he would probably have used the same word when talking about Mr. & Mrs. Smith. For even they, after all is said and done, are not outside of God’s mercy and Grace.

—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections


How do you know when you might be making a mistake? One way is when the lights begin to fade and you look around a packed theater and realize that there are only three other guys in the entire theater. A closer inspection also reveals that more than half of the females filling the theater are under the age of 18. For those that don’t take hints very well, these are good clues that you are about to watch a chick-flick. As it turns out, my wife and teenage daughter had read the book Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares, and couldn’t stop talking about how great it was. So, as a family we ended up sitting in a theater on Friday night waiting for the movie adaptation of the book to begin. But, to my surprise, and delight, it turns out that I had not made a mistake.

If your movie taste lend towards the thrill of watching things getting blown up, or fists flying in every direction, or even an underdog sports team overcoming enormous odds, this is probably not the movie for you. But I also wouldn’t write this movie off as just another chick-flick and recommend it to most everyone. Yes, it is a coming-of-age, feel good movie; and while the movie will definitely appeal to most girls in high school and younger, along with many women who will reminisce about their past friendships; I think it will also appeal to a lot of guys. The movie is well directed, the acting is convincing, and the storyline is just captivating enough to attract more than just teenage girls.

From the beginning of the film, a major theme came through loud and clear – Sisterhood, or Fellowship. This is exemplified in the love of the characters for one another and how they sustain their faith in the face of turbulent experiences. A faith bolstered by a pair of pants that magically appear in a thrift shop. The plot is based upon the story of four girls that make up the Sisterhood: Bridget, Carmen, Lena, and Tibby. They have known each other since they were babies and have been there for each other through every trial and tribulation including divorce and death of a parent. On the eve of separating for the first time, each going their own way for the Summer, they are found by a pair of supernatural jeans – that magically fits all four of them perfectly (though they are all different sizes and shapes). Apprehensive about being separated for the first time, they decide to share the pants, mailing them to each other after one week of ownership. The idea being that even though they are apart, the pants will “travel� between them as a reminder of their bond and fellowship.

The shy Lena (Alexis Bledel of Gilmore Girls fame) takes off for Greece to spend time with her grandparents. The level-headed one of the group, she finds that a life of comfortable routine and an uneventful existence is not necessarily a recipe for happiness. Bridget (played by Blake Lively, a relative new-comer) is off to soccer camp in Mexico leaving her emotionally detached father behind. The wild one, she grasps for the love she can’t find at home, but must also deal with the fear of repeating her mother’s past mistakes. Carmen (America Ferrera who played Ana Garcia in Real Women have Curves) travels out of state to visit her estranged father only to run into a situation that drives a wedge farther between her and her dad. She must deal with years of pent up anger and her own feelings about her father. Tibby (Amber Tamblyn the star of Joan of Arcadia – which I am still angry about being cancelled) stays behind to work on a documentary about the pointlessness of life; which she calls a "suckumentary". As the rebel of the group, and comes across as removed from the ordinariness of the world, Tibby is confronted with the fact that real life is not about our individual actions, but is about the relationships that connect us all together. Not part of the Sisterhood, but connected nonetheless is Bailey, a pre-teen who befriends Tibby. Jenna Boyd, who portrays Bailey, at 12 years of age has already compiled a fairly extensive list of past performances including The Missing, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, and The Hunted, along with a number of TV appearances (Six Feet Under, CSI, and Just Shoot Me!). Jenna is an excellent young actress and some of the scenes between her and Amber Tamblyn are just plain heart-wrenching, with most of the audience in tears, but simultaneously an inspiration to the viewer. Jenna’s character, and the on-screen relationship between her and Amber’s character, provide a striking contrast to the sucumentary and the assertion that life is pointlessness.

I really enjoyed this movie, even though at times it felt a little claustrophobic in the midst of the estrogen-ridden room. Regardless, the movie lived up to its hype as did all the young actresses. Bringing together some of the best young actresses of our times reminded me a little of when other films brought together the best young talent of their times, such as the 1988 film Young Guns with Emilio Estevez (Mighty Ducks series), Kiefer Sutherland (star of the TV series 24), Lou Diamond Phillips (with recent appearances on Jack & Bobby and Numbers), and Charlie Sheen (star of TV’s Two and Half Men).

As the characters come of age and discover much about themselves, and each other, they are transformed; they’re journey of spiritual grow and into maturity is stylishly captured on film. I have to admit I am somewhat the sentimental type, enjoying a good romantic comedy (e.g. Wimbleton), but gagging at The Bridges of Madison County. So one might say my appreciation for the film could be suspect, but I think that I am objective enough to say most men would find this film enjoyable. It also wouldn’t hurt your relationship to provide an empathetic shoulder to lean against during the more heartrending scenes.

This spiritual growth and maturity is a natural part of our lives. In Corinthians it says “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man [woman], I put childish ways behind me. . . And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.�

This love theme is prevalent throughout the movie in the form of their sisterhood. The characters are linked in a fellowship that bonds them through the good and bad times of their lives. Though they need to exist in the world as individuals, they also love each other and are bound to each other in a way only those who have experienced this closeness can understand.

If you read the book and enjoyed it, then you should enjoy the movie as my wife tells me the movie is true to the book. And even if you haven’t read the book, I think you will still enjoy the movie. You will come away with a sense of well being. Of having shared in the character’s intimate experiences. And beyond all else, feeling as if you too are part of something bigger than yourself, as Bailey and Tibby discover when lying on a blanket looking up at the stars. . . there must be something more, something greater than just this life. And they are so right! As Jesus says Himself, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned…’

—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections