Now That's Entertainment!

Rating: 10/10 (11 June 2005)

I caught the 6:25 and 7:20 shows at a local suburban multiplex. It was showing on two screens and they were packed. The audience applauded at the end. Personally I thoroughly enjoyed everything about the movie. First, who can complain about well shot close-ups of two such charming and physically appealing stars? Second, the riffs on marital verbal and non-verbal repartee were hilarious and on the nose. Take for example the passionate love-making post house-busting shoot-out. A little over the top, perhaps, but who hasn't felt that overheated hormone rush following a physical altercation with one's lover? Best sex ever, right? And in this case the scene even made literary sense -- one could see the original spark re-ignite the Smith's dormant passion for each other. It plays to the main themes of the movie -- why does marriage fail, and how to jump-start a stale one. "War of the Roses" was not so insightful. Third, the action was well choreographed, especially the Smith's pas de deux with guns during a shoot out in the final 10 minutes. This film has nothing to do with the other couple failures (Ben and Jen in "Gigli;" "Kidman and Cruise in "Eyes Wide Shut") which were flawed films, plain and simple. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" is a genuinely entertaining action flick with smart writing, superb cinematography and editing, and two talented stars who know their material and can communicate the emotional nuances of love with sarcasm, irony, and humor. Not to mention the splendid chemistry between them. Brad and Angelina seemed to genuinely at least like each other. This film has nothing to do with what's wrong with Hollywood and the current box office slump. A film or two like the Smith's might in fact, be Hollywood's salvation.