Coasting on star power

Rating: 6/10 (1 July 2005)

Take a generous helping of "True Lies" (1994), add a hint of "The Thin Man" (1934) and toss in a dash of "Prizzi's Honor" (1985) for good measure and what have you got? Why, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," of course.
I can't remember the last time I saw a film that depended so completely on its stars' charisma to carry it. Luckily for director Doug Liman and screenwriter Simon Kinberg, they have Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, both of whom have undeniable screen presence. But as well as they click, even Pitt and Jolie have to overcome a script that loses its way in the third act and a story with enough holes to drive through several convoys of trucks.
One critic said this film contains a level of sophistication, a la "The Thin Man" films. The Smiths are no Nick and Nora Charles. Make no mistake about it. The banter between Pitt and Jolie doesn't even come close replicating the Charleses' repartee. "Come to daddy," Mr. Smith says during a fight. She decks him and replies, "Who's your daddy, now?" Simon Kinberg's script really doesn't go beyond this level. You want sophisticated comedy? Watch an Ernst Lubitsch movie.
All that being said, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" still remains enjoyable for the most part. Much of the enjoyment comes from watching Pitt and Jolie play off each other. There's undeniable chemistry between these two stars and they know how to use it. They make their dialogue - however preposterous it may seem - to sound natural. You get the feeling these are two people awfully comfortable in each other's space and that helps a great deal.
Director Doug Liman knows how to shoot action sequences. He's proved it before. Here, again, the action scenes are exciting, pounding and fast-moving. But where the film comes apart is when, for some inexplicable reason, Liman and Kinberg abandon their characters and turn "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" into an excuse to blow things up and nothing else.
True, this is a leave-your-brain-at-the-door film. There's no doubt about that. But the story had potential and the film gets off to a terrific start. But it really gets too caught up in the action and forgets about its two very interesting protagonists.
On "Inside the Actor's Studio," Jolie said that the film's stunt coordinator looked at the script and added plenty of action, turning essentially a half-page of action into several weeks of shooting. And that very well could've been the problem.
The film gets more ridiculous as it goes along, culminating in an outrageous shoot-out that defies belief even for a film of this nature. The sequence also isn't done that well, either. For a good example of how to make such moments taut, tense and thrilling, watch the Italian film, "The Nest" (2002), which essentially takes place inside a warehouse.
"Mr. and Mrs. Smith" ultimately has more bluster than it ought to. There are two tremendously talented stars and one awfully capable director. But somehow they get so wrapped up in the film's cacophonous action that they ignore this story's most important aspect  its charming characters.