Goin' to the Movies

Last week, I actually bought a movie ticket for Stacey and I to see Mr & Mrs Smith. I think one word adequately sums up this movie: Painful.

Not just painful for the scores of people who get shot in the movie about every 3 seconds; nor was it painful only for Brad Pitt (aka Mr Smith) after getting kicked in the cookies or elbowed in the chops. No, this movie was painful for most everyone. Despite the few one-liner's (emphasis on the word "few") that provided the occasional chuckle, I'm afraid this movie has earned its two thumbs down. In fact, if my thumbs could be any farther down, they'd be my pinkie-fingers.

When the first quarter of the movie is spent introducing "Brangelina" (or whatever ridiculous name the media has given them) and the last three-quarters of the movie is spent enjoying the soothing sounds of rapid gunfire and car crashes mixed in with a meal break - only for Mr & Mrs Smith to figure out they now need to kill each other - the movie doesn't deserve anything less than two thumbs down. Especially when that's the entire plot.

This movie got me wondering if Hollywood is finally running out of good ideas. Some of you may say that happened a long time ago. You're probably right. What saddens me even more is that we saw Angelina Jolie being interviewed on 20/20 the night before we went to see this movie and she was asked point-blank, "Do you think there is too much violence in this movie?" Her answer was a mildly emphatic, 'no.' A follow-up question: hello ... were you there when you made the movie?!?

Now, don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't mind or can't handle some violence in a movie. It happens. Maybe Mr & Mrs Smith is more a case of the violence being completely disconnected from the rest of the movie, thereby causing it to ... hmmm ... how you say ... suck! Sometimes, especially with movies based on true stories, the (realistic) violence pushes the plot forward. Here, there was no plot to push forward.

It may be a while before I go to a movie again. I don't know. But I do know that I'm getting tired of seeing two very big stars punch and shoot their way to a multi-million dollar pay cheque when I'm pretty sure they're capable of more than that. One of my fellow bloggers - Cy Young Sowden - has recommended a movie in one of his recent blogs that, from my limited understanding of it, tells the story of something that is actually an issue. I might watch it. I might not. We'll see ... no pun intended.