Mr. & Mrs. Smith review: A heartfelt, surprising spy thriller
Donald Glover and Maya Erskine make for a winning team in Prime Video's new series
Mr. & Mrs. Smith’s most appealing thrills aren’t found in its gun-toting action scenes, high-octane chases in stunning locales, or undercover spying. No, in Prime Video’s new drama, which premieres February 2, the true adventure lies in the dissection of a nuanced, somewhat cursed relationship. Against all odds, Mr. & Mrs. Smith works because of this. Despite a measured start and a bunch of predictable twists, the story clicks into place as the show slowly but endearingly builds on its strengths over eight episodes.
One of its biggest assets is how it shares nothing more than the name of Doug Liman’s 2005 film, led by Brad Pitt and Angeline Jolie. The show is a totally and tonally different type of emotional beast that gradually creeps up on you. Here, the central couple isn’t in the midst of a drab marriage before finding out they’re competing contract killers and now must eliminate each other. Instead, John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine) are paired up by a mysterious agency to play a fake couple whose relationship turns scarily genuine. They go from strangers to people who lovingly build a life together while juggling unbelievably challenging job demands. Everything is layered in truth, whether it’s an awkward first meeting, honest conversations, irresistible lust, or the kind of heart-puncturing fights that only happen when you know a person inside out.
If that sounds surprisingly normal, that’s because it is. Mr. & Mrs. Smith’s primary goal is to let audiences know John and Jane aren’t a version of James Bond; they’re regular folks. They could be anybody—so much so that, while running around New York City after an assignment goes awry, they complain about blisters and keep stopping to catch their breaths.
The catch, obviously, is that their professional hurdles aren’t relatable at all. Most people (let’s hope) aren’t spending time hiding a dead body, hacking someone with an axe, or using a honeymoon in the snowy mountains to follow a high-value target. Those aspects are both expected and entertaining to a degree, although they move along at an uneven pace. There’s a lack of urgency in John and Jane’s tasks, and that’s because Mr. & Mrs. Smith isn’t devoted to making them feel extraordinary. It’s simply a part of the basic genre package.
