The Pitt and the Pendulous

Rating: 9/10 (13 June 2005)

I really thought this one was going to be a stinker. Pitt has made some awful choices before (Meet Joe Black, Troy) and I just didn't see how you could make a serious movie out of married assassins trying to kill one another. The only way I thought you could make it work was as a broad comedy. In which case, hire Mike Myers and turn it into an Austin Powers movie.
But I liked Doug Liman's Swingers and Go, and I think Angelina Jolie is not-of-this earth beautiful, so figured it was worth a matinée viewing.
I seriously underestimated this movie.
The story "A" which you are familiar with from the previews (why two assassins married without knowing the other's identity and are eventually tasked with killing one another) is indeed preposterous and sorta lame at the same time, but they found a way to make it work. Except for a few stylish set pieces with big guns and various spy toys, the director wisely chooses to barely sketch that plot in. Instead, he focuses on the more interesting story "B" -- which is a close examination of marriage itself. The plus to this approach is that Pitt and Jolie are on the screen verbally and physically sparring with one another for almost every frame. There is definitely chemistry between the two and that helps to make the physical fights between them (gut-punching, drop kicking, stabbing, etc.) almost sexy. It also helps that you believe Angelina Jolie could actually kick Brad Pitt's ass. Thus, its a fair fight and not misogyny when he gets the occasional punch in.
The dialog was also excellent-- vastly wittier than the usual banter you would find in a typical romantic comedy. Maybe it had something to do with the reputed 100 re-writes and numerous writers this script went through, but my hat is off to whoever honed the dialog.
Even though the writing is great and the choices the director made were spot on, credit for this film's success is definitely with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. They are both frighteningly beautiful and completely assured in this movie. You can't take your eyes off them. For this film at least, they were definitely worth whatever millions they were paid.