How a marriage counseling session inspired a high-octane Hollywood blockbuster about secret assassins
In short: Screenwriter Simon Kinberg conceived the 2005 action hit Mr. & Mrs. Smith after hearing friends describe their marriage therapy sessions. He envisioned a relationship dynamic that felt mercenary and aggressive, using it as a template for a film where a bored, suburban couple discovers they are actually rival contract killers.
The film, directed by Doug Liman, centers on John and Jane Smith, who hide their lethal professions behind a mundane, upper-middle-class facade in the New York suburbs. Their secret lives collide when they are both assigned to eliminate the same target, leading to a series of escalating, destructive confrontations. The production team intentionally prioritized the couple's relationship struggles over the action sequences, aiming to frame their marital spats on a grandiose, mythical scale.
The project's development was marked by significant casting shifts. Initially, Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman were attached, but Kidman's departure led to Pitt exiting as well. After considering various pairings, including Johnny Depp and Cate Blanchett, the production eventually signed Angelina Jolie, which brought Pitt back to the project. Filming began in January 2004, with the opening marriage counseling scenes shot on the first day to capture the genuine, awkward chemistry between the two leads.
The film's production involved several creative pivots. Producers ultimately cut all scenes featuring traditional villains, deciding that external antagonists distracted from the central romantic conflict. Furthermore, the filmmakers opted to emphasize that marriage is an ongoing struggle rather than a problem to be solved. Despite mixed critical reviews regarding the screenplay, the film was a major commercial success, grossing over $478 million worldwide. It remains a notable cultural touchstone, spawning a 2024 television series and leaving a lasting legacy as a high-concept star vehicle.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005 film)
- Also: Wikidata — Mr. & Mrs. Smith · CC0
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