The Prime Video series, Mr & Mrs Smith, is loosely based on the hit 2005 film of the same name. With a more detailed storyline and a longer format, the series follows the married life of two spies who try to navigate the complexities of their new relationship and how emotionally and physically draining it can be. The fact that they are working for a secret organisation, which eventually pits them against each other, makes the story much more enjoyable.
In this story version, John and Jane, played by Atlanta’s Donald Glover and PEN15’s Maya Erskine, are secret agents on missions they know nothing about. The several missions lead to adventures as they slowly fall in love. While they should have abandoned their real identities, it’s hard to tell whether their feelings are genuine and if they will sacrifice everything for the job they wanted so badly. Here is why Prime Video’s Mr & Mrs Smith is impressive as a follow-up to the 2005 film of the same name.
The Chemistry Between the Main Cast
One of the main reasons 2005’s Mr & Mrs Smith was a massive success in the relationship rumors surrounding Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s new sizzling romance. The tension and chemistry burst through the screen, which, according to rumors and behind-the-scenes information, was immediate when they got together on set. Jolie was the last-minute replacement for Nicole Kidman, so this was the first time Jolie and Pitt met on set, and it worked wonders for the film. While the chemistry worked even after filming wrapped and led to one of the most iconic power couples in Hollywood, even though they are now divorced, it was one of the key ingredients that led to the success of the 2005 movie.
In the Prime Video series, Glover and Erskine almost immediately have some bewitching chemistry that fans can see from a mile away, and the show does an excellent job of building on it slowly with awkward moments and pauses until they end up in each other’s embrace. It doesn’t harm that they are both beautiful actors whose talents make viewers believe they could be star-crossed lovers who were meant to be together through this random job. One thing the series gets right is depicting this couple as a realistic one with everyday problems and insecurities, whether it’s jealousy or vulnerability of suddenly being in intimate moments with a stranger.
Glover has played goofy characters in Community and Atlanta, but in this series, he has to tap into a different character, the action star and romantic, which he does surprisingly well. Erskine is more famous for playing a teen who is going through adolescent problems, but she very easily slips into the role of a badass spy agent focused on doing the job. Her awkwardness is more realistic than many female actors can manage, which makes the show much more relatable than fans thought it would be. This cast’s unique chemistry helps it stand out from the film.
The Mr & Mrs Smith Plot Is Unique to the Series Format
The slight differences between the 2005 film and the Prime Video series made this show enjoyable for fans. The series format brings to the forefront what fans could have enjoyed from the 2005 film if it was longer with a more detailed storyline. Where the movie is rushed, the series takes its time to elaborate. In the film, Jolie and Pitt’s characters, Jane and John, go for marriage counseling to help save their five-year marriage, which is on the rocks. Towards the end of the series, John and Jane go for therapy to help with their fake marriage, which they’ve started believing is real. Unlike the movie, where John and Jane find out during an assignment that they are assassins, in the series, John and Jane know early on what they are getting themselves into—and it makes for more exciting storylines. In the series, John and Jane go on plenty of missions together before their exciting and lust-filled union starts to crack. While they enjoy each other’s company and the thrill of the job, a long-term and healthy relationship doesn’t seem to be in the cards for them. This insecurity and cautiousness is something fans didn’t have time to see in the movie.
In the movie, after failing to complete a mission, John and Jane find themselves being attacked by an army of assassins, similar to the series in which another pair of Smiths come to finish them off in their home. While the movie ends with the Smiths back at their marriage counselor talking about how their union is thriving, in the series, it’s unclear whether the Smiths made it out alive. This unique masterpiece of storytelling couldn’t have been possible without Francesca Sloane, who was producing the series, and Glover, who created it. Together with the cinematography that makes this series look more like an expensive ad, the pacing made each episode focus on a specific theme and properly showcase how things are playing out for these newly hired spy agents. It led to the creation of one of the best action rom-coms of the decade. Here are 7 must-watch Donald Glover roles in movies and TV shows.