Not so much an action movie as a romcom with assault rifles.
Mr and Mrs Smith, the Prime Video show featuring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine as two arranged-married spies, has received great reviews (check out the trailer if you don’t know anything about it yet). But it’s very different from the original movie it’s based on, and which you can stream right now on Netflix. The original takes the same concept – two contract killers are married to each other – but comes at it from a different direction: in this film, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are in a real marriage, and they’re keeping their spy stuff secret from each other.
Is the original Mr and Mrs Smith worth streaming?
Yes. The 2005 movie is really a classic Hollywood romance with fighting – a screwball comedy with heavy artillery – and the screen crackles with electricity every time Pitt and Jolie are together: they’re clearly having an absolute hoot making this movie, and because they’re both highly skilled actors they deliver just enough seriousness to make the often quite ridiculous plot work. The fact that neither actor fell out of the ugly tree also helps keep you glued to the screen.
As Roger Ebert wrote at the time, “What makes the movie work is that Pitt and Jolie have fun together on the screen, and they’re able to find a rhythm that allows them to be understated and amused even during the most alarming developments.”
As Empire points out, the story isn’t new: the same conceit was at the core of the mid-80s mob movie Prizzi’s Honor. But “where that was a demure black comedy with all the kinetic energy of a chess game, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a speedfreaks’ pinball tournament.” The movie is a “full-on action flick, subversive rom-com and weapons-grade star vehicle that’s drenched in Tinseltown glitz.”
Is it a film you’ll want to watch a dozen times? Probably not, and it’s not on our list of the best Netflix movies overall. But if you’re looking for a two-hour thrill ride with some great gags, some edge-of-the-seat action and some of the most beautiful people on the planet, Mr and Mrs Smith is a lot of fun.
News
How did Jodie Foster typecast herself by being so good at her job?
Jodie Foster has portrayed a wide range of characters on screen. She captured hearts as the precocious teen in Freaky Friday and stunned audiences with her role in Taxi Driver. In The Silence of the Lambs and Panic Room, she demonstrated a steely resolve paired with human…
Jodie Foster sets her next film, and more casting news this week
Jodie Foster is going from Night Country to wine country. According to Variety, the Academy Award-winning actress has set her first project since starring in True Detective‘s fourth season earlier this year. She’ll lead the film Vie Privée, an upcoming French language project from director Rebecca…
Justin Bieber has ‘alienated’ people around him amid ex-mentor Sean Diddy’s arrest: ‘His family members are…’
Justin Bieber has “alienated” people around him as he “doesn’t trust them”, said an insider, claiming that the singer has done “some really crazy s-t.” While Justin Bieber has strongly rejected any connection with the allegations against Sean Diddy Combs, the American…
Oscar-Winner Jodie Foster Cast in Rebecca Zlotowski’s Latest French Film
Jodie Foster Cast in New French Film Academy Award-winning actress, Jodie Foster, has come on board the latest film from director Rebecca Zlotowski, Vie Privée. Jodie Foster, who is fluent in French, will be starring in the upcoming international film, Vie Privée. This film…
‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3: Everything To Know So Far About The Doomed Team’s Return To The Wilderness
Yellowjackets has been streaming on Paramount+ for years, but the survival/coming-of-age series recently received the famed Netflix boost. The series’ second season did lose some momentum while it aired, and that season isn’t on Netflix as of yet (and hopefully, you aren’t reading…
Jodie Foster Reacts To First Emmy Win
Jodie Foster, one of the most celebrated actresses of our time, has made headlines with her recent Emmy win, marking a remarkable comeback year in her illustrious career. After being nominated for an Academy Award for the first time in…
End of content
No more pages to load