A great deal of carnage, of both the physical and
emotional varieties, takes place in Doug Liman’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a high-concept
commentary on the state of modern marriage. The offscreen shenanigans
of the film’s two stars, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, have
overshadowed the film itself, so much so that the whole affair has taken on
a sense of the anti-climactic. And yet the two stars make the film
bearable, generating a palpable sense of chemistry in addition to a genuine
aura of violence and sexuality. These qualities help keep the film grounded
as the stars provide enough of a hook to keep us interested, even when the
script, by Simon Kinberg, ultimately spins wildly out of control.
Marrying on impulse after meeting in a highly charged
atmosphere and sprinting through a brief courtship, John and Jane Smith
(Pitt and Jolie) find that their marriage has hit an impasse. Bored with
the suburban lifestyle they’ve adopted, the Smiths are on the road to
ruin as they begin to realize that they have very little in common and that
each would prefer to be at work rather than at home. What they don’t
realize is that they are both skilled assassins, employed by rival shadow
organizations. As fate — and a desperate screenwriter — would
have it, Jane and John wind up assigned to take out the same target, a job
that they both botch spectacularly. Jane’s superior instructs her to
clean up all loose ends on the job — including her husband.
The setup here is elaborate, and it skirts tedium.
The strained relationship between the Smiths provides some humorous
moments, and the wry humor employed by Pitt and Jolie as they off their
targets proves witty and enjoyable. (Don’t worry — Kinberg
makes sure we know that the Smiths’ victims are really bad people so
that we don’t feel too bad when they’re dispatched.) The film
kicks into high gear when the Smiths’ true identities are revealed to
one another and years’ worth of pent-up rage is let loose by both
parties. The violence the Smiths unleash on each other is a grand fantasy
that long-married couples will understand.
Also in theaters. . .
The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3D [PG] Director Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids) returns to kiddie flicks
with this tale of a lonely 10-year-old who retreats into a fantasy world. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
High Tension [R] Two
college coeds take a trip to the country to study for final exams in
“peace.” But, when an unexpected stranger knocks on the front
door, the pleasant outing turns ugly. Parkway
Pointe
The Honeymooners [PG-13]
Remake of old Jackie Gleason television comedy with Cedric the Entertainer
playing bus driver Ralph Kramden and Mike Epps as Ralph’s best
friend, Ed. Parkway Pointe
Lords of Dogtown [PG-13]
Tracks the rise of surf and skateboarding culture in Venice, Calif., in the
1970s. ShowPlace West
Madagascar [PG] Animated
comedy about a lion (voice of Ben Stiller), a zebra (Chris Rock), a giraffe
(David Schwimmer), and a hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith). When one goes missing
from the zoo, the other three break free, and learn what it’s like to
live in the wild. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East, Route 66
Drive In
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants [PG] Four girlfriends plan to stay connected to each other
by passing around a pair of secondhand jeans that fits each perfectly. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
This article appears in Jun 9-15, 2005.
