This page was created on June 1, 2005
This page was last updated on August 25, 2005

—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

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Directed by Doug Liman
Screenplay by Simon Kinberg

Cast (in credits order)
Brad Pitt .... John Smith
Angelina Jolie .... Jane Smith
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elijah Alexander .... Marco Racin
Theresa Barrera .... Janet
Angela Bassett
Ron Bottitta .... Charlie
Adam Brody .... Benjamin
Miguel Caballero .... Bell Boy

Produced by
Erik Feig .... executive producer
Lucas Foster .... producer
Akiva Goldsman .... producer
Simon Kinberg .... co-producer
Eric McLeod .... producer
Arnon Milchan .... producer
Patrick Wachsberger .... producer
Kim H. Winther .... co-producer

Original Music by John Powell
Cinematography by Bojan Bazelli
Film Editing by Michael Tronick

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, intense action, sexual content and brief strong language
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM, and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG

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.

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Review by
MARK EZRA STOKES

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Batman & Smiths explore dark secrets

For years now, summer movies have been mindless action flicks aimed at bored high-school students with extra time on their hands and plenty of cash to spend. Though Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Batman Begins fall into this action-packed tradition, they seem to have raised the bar of what can now be expected.

On the surface, Mr. & Mrs. Smith looks like a dark glorification of domestic violence, attacking the institution of marriage and making light of serious relational problems. The story involves bored couple John (Brad Pitt) and Jane (Angelina Jolie) Smith. Though the Smiths began their marriage as passionate lovers, the magic has somehow disappeared, and they’re not quite sure where they went wrong. In the meantime, they both discover that the other is a secret agent for a rival agency, requiring each of them to kill the other spouse. Pretty disturbing, huh? However, through a series of action-packed events, the Smiths are actually able to open up emotionally and communicate honestly.

Communication and honesty are two themes that continue to pop up throughout the film. After growing bored with physical intimacy, the Smiths are eventually forced into deeper forms of intimacy—that which can only come through genuine dialogue between two committed partners. The violence and countless brushes with death may seem unbelievable (though excellently choreographed), but the natural progression of a struggling-though-getting-better relationship makes the film worthwhile.

What keeps Mr. & Mrs. Smith unique to the genre is its comedic timing. The film could’ve easily focused on the couple’s cold-blooded hatred for one another, the tortures they inflict to express that hatred and the justification of those tortures. Instead, the Smiths have the snappy banter of Abbott & Costello and the physical comedy of The Three Stooges. Their conversations are both clever and universal, bringing light to some of the most common relational problems and offering some surprisingly solid advice. This valuable lesson on creating functional relationships can also be applied to our relationship with God and the importance of prayer.

Like Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Batman Begins deals with double identities, though it takes this motif into more psychological depths. (The only thing more surprising than a secret agent movie with originality is a Batman movie that capitalizes on psychology rather than spectacle.)

Batman Begins follows the journey of Bruce Wayne from fragile rich kid to Gotham City’s vigilante hero. As a child, Bruce becomes consumed with his anger after a mugger murders his parents. Though understandably apathetic and baggage-laden, Bruce encounters several mentors and milestone events that shape his destiny. Through sage advice from martial arts mentor Ducard (Jedi master Liam Neeson), compassionate father-figure/butler Alfred (Michael Caine) and childhood sweetheart Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes), Bruce confronts the fears that have left him dead inside—fears that have prepared him for an inevitable resurrection.

Unlike its campy predecessors, Batman Begins returns to the comic book idea of a human superhero with no superpowers—one who must daily confront and overcome his weaknesses. Bruce’s two most prevalent weaknesses are his paralyzing fear of bats and the guilt he feels for his parents’ death. Additionally, though, the film looks at his conscious effort to leave his lofty position of wealth and live among the common people—from thieves to prisoners, fighters to the homeless. After spending time with the underbelly of society, Bruce overcomes temptation (to join Ducard’s League of Shadows and police the world with an iron fist), returns to his father’s wealth, and fights with a new resurrection body (as Batman) to redeem the depraved and already-condemned Gotham City.

In addition to the psychological depth, this Batman film is different from previous incarnations in its look. Batman Begins pays careful attention to making Batman mysterious and frightening. The hero himself is gruff-voiced, angry and intense. Instead of utilizing a bright neon color scheme, the film is full of black. From dark alley to dank cave to everything Batman owns: it’s all black. Where the previous films sought to dazzle the eye, this one seeks to downplay fight scenes, flashy costumes or elaborate lairs. What results is a focus on the story and the story alone. Were it not for an incredibly talented ensemble cast and a meticulously planned screenplay, this could’ve been a disaster.

Batman Begins, like Mr. & Mrs. Smith, explores relationships. While Smiths hones in on romance, Batman looks at familial relationships, awareness of the downtrodden and self-exploration. It challenges us to identify those fears that hold us back, and to conquer them so that we may live full lives. Though some may have more baggage than others, Batman Begins follows Bruce’s healing so realistically that we leave thinking, “If he can get over his past, so can I.”

These two films show us that, when entering the theater with a Biblical mindset, we can find truth in some of the most unlikely sources. From Mr. & Mrs. Smith, we learn that relationships are hard work, but that honest communication can really go a long way (John 14:13). From Batman Begins, we learn that emotional baggage can really seem overwhelming at times, but that with the right focus, we can overcome our fears (2 Timothy 1:7) and turn our attention toward helping others who hurt.

Both Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Batman Begins are rated PG-13. Batman Begins seems geared toward the young teen to middle-aged adult range. It includes intense action violence, disturbing images and some thematic elements. Though relatively clean, its darkness could possibly frighten children. Married or seriously dating couples will get more out of Mr. & Mrs. Smith than the average viewer. It has several of the typical elements of a James Bond film: sequences of violence, intense action, sexual content and brief strong language. Husbands not so keen on chick flicks would enjoy the action, and wives tired of mindless action will like the romance. Whichever you choose, you’re bound to walk away with a valuable life lesson.

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