A Classic Brad Pitt Action Comedy Just Landed On Netflix
Mr. and Mrs. Smith, starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, is now streaming on Netflix.
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Every new month brings a fresh batch of content to Netflix and October is jam-packed with loads of cool stuff. Along with Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, based on the short story by Stephen King, and The School for Good and Evil , based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Soman Chainani, the streamer has added in a few old favorites like Rush Hour and Mr & Mrs. Smith starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Billed as an action comedy, the movie stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as John and Jane Smith who met in Bogota, got married, and settled into a comfortable routine. But the opening scene finds the couple in marriage counseling. The spark has fizzled from their relationship since a typical day sees them setting off separately to their jobs. But their suburban life is turned upside down when the couple learns that they are assassins employed by competing agencies
John (Brad Pitt) keeps his guns and money in a pit beneath the tool shed, while Jane (Jolie) keeps her knives and other weapons in trays that slide out from under the oven. When they are assigned to kill each other, the couple’s skills and love are put to the ultimate test. Directed by Doug Liman from a script by Simon Kinberg, the 2005 film earned $487 million at the global box office.
While fans loved it, Mr & Mrs. Smith was met with mixed reviews from critics who said the action-romance suffered from weak writing and one too many explosions. But the performances of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were praised, with their onscreen chemistry described as palpable and enough to make the movie enjoyable. The movie still holds an approval rating of 59% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
However, away from the box office, the film also established Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s personal relationship. After his very public courtship and marriage to Jennifer Aniston, the couple announced their split in 2005 – six months before the release of Mr & Mrs. Smith. In a statement via People, the couple did their best to dispel rumors that the breakup was due to an affair between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
“We would like to announce that after seven years together we have decided to formally separate. For those who follow these sorts of things, we would like to explain that our separation is not the result of any of the speculation reported by the tabloid media. This decision is the result of much thoughtful consideration,” Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston explained. “We happily remain committed and caring friends with great love and admiration for one another.”
Contrary to the statement, Brad Pitt and his Mr &Mrs. Smith co-star (who had been denying romance rumors) were spotted on vacation together in Kenya shortly after the actor’s divorce was finalized in October 2005. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Aniston later opened up about mourning her marriage, and her reaction to the headlines surrounding her ex-husband’s relationship with Jolie. “There are many stages of grief,” the Friends alum said. “It’s sad, something coming to an end. It cracks you open, in a way.”
In 2014, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were legally married in Los Angeles on August 14th with a private ceremony in Château Miraval, France later that month. But a bunch of kids and drama later, the actress filed for divorce from Pitt, citing irreconcilable differences in September 2016. On April 12, 2019, the court declared Angelina Jolie and Pitt legally single.
Interestingly, Angelina Jolie wasn’t the first choice for Jane in Mrs & Mrs. Smith. Nicole Kidman was originally cast in the lead role, but when Brad Pitt dropped out, she did too. Doug Liman then considered Will Smith and Catherine Zeta-Jones for the parts, as well as Johnny Depp and Cate Blanchett. When Gwyneth Paltrow was cast as Jane, Pitt came back to the project. But she later exited the role too, leading to Angelina Jolie joining.
In 2007 a pilot for a spin-off series was developed for ABC. Set six months after the events of the film, it was the series was described as Married… with Children with guns. While the roles made famous by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were given to the talented Martin Henderson and Jordana Brewster, the network eventually decided not to commission the project. Then, in February 2021, Amazon announced that a series reboot was in the works, starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine. It is currently set for release later this year.
