Spiritual Review of 
 "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"

Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher

"Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

Picture Source: http://www.imdb.com

Main Cast:
Brad Pitt
Angeline Jolie

Rating:  PG-13  for extensive violence and thematic elements!

Plot Review:

The movie, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ is about a husband (played by Brad Pitt) and wife (played by Angeline Jolie) who have a deadly secret which comes to the surface during a hit mission. Soon, they realize each one tried to kill the other. Now, it becomes a cat-mouse game to see who kills the other one first or if they can work out their differences.

Content Review:

This is an action-packed thriller that has some comic elements in it. Most of all, it makes you see what extreme irreconcilable differences can do to a husband and wife couple if not worked out. It is a movie worth watching and addresses issues such as trust, betrayal, marriage vows, and love. The movie is rated PG-13 for extensive shooting scenes and thematic elements.

Scriptural Implications: SPOILER ALERT

In the movie, we find out that two strangers who met in a hotel lobby get to know each other and get married. This is so cool because marriage between a man and a woman is so biblical too!

"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Mark 10:6-9, NIV)

This is how it is supposed to be but two separate agencies wanted each one to kill the other bringing distrust and betrayal into the picture. Because they could not trust each other after being married for six years, their marriage started coming apart to the point it became dangerous for each of them to be in the presence of the other. That is no way of handling a marriage. Both of them were not faithful to each other. The verse below does not specifically deal with husband-wife relationship in its context but is applicable.

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2, NIV)

Mr. and Mrs. Smith were supposed to protect each other because they took vows ‘to have and to hold, in sickness and health, till death do us apart’ but let their profession come in the way of their marriage almost destroying it. Surprisingly, all the elements fail against each other through some kind of help.

Eventually, they face off against each other but Mr. Smith could not pull the trigger at his wife. This reminded me of the power of love. For six years he had been married to her and was willing to give up his life for his love for her if it came to that!

This reminded me of the power of love!

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8, NIV)

“Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.” (Proverbs 10:12, NIV)

“He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” (Proverbs 17:9, NIV)

In the end, they decide to stay together till death does them apart even if it were to come to that. They even admit that it takes a lot to make a marriage work. How true that is! In this world where divorce is like running water that can be turned off, marriages end in divorce more than 50% of the time. This is a sad statistic. Divorce is seen as an easy way out without working through the issues. No marriage can have worst situations than what Mr. and Mrs. Smith faced possibly. They worked through their situations out because of learning to love each other. Even not having love for another person is no excuse for divorce.

“Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" "What did Moses command you?" he replied. They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away." "It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Mark 10:2-9, NIV)

^“When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery." (Mark 2:10-12, NIV)

There were two favorite scenes of mine in the movie. One was when Mr. & Mrs. Smith were driving a van with a cross hanging on the dashboard. The other scene occurred in a cafe. No matter what danger they were in they come back in one piece while driving the van

It made me think about the significance of the cross. I was very excited for the producers to have put a cross on the dashboard of the van.

^“And anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38, NIV)

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, NIV)

“Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: 'JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (John 19:19, NIV)

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NIV)

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which [ Or whom] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14, NIV)

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Colossians 1:19-20, NIV)

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.” (Colossians 1:21-23, NIV)

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15, NIV)

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place  and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11, NIV)

In another scene, right after they escape the bad guys in the van, they come to a café with identical jackets on. The jackets say, “JESUS ROCKS” I thought that was so cool that the producers had them wear those jackets in the café right after they escape death and destruction. Both of them have issues to work through but at least they know that JESUS ROCKS!

^“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3, NIV)

Questions to ponder:

1. Why is divorce so prevalent in this culture and what can be done to eliminate it?
    

2. What does the cross mean to you?
    

3. What role does learning to love and working through differences make in a marriage?
    

4. What is the power of love?
    

5. What needs to happen for you to say that ‘JESUS ROCKS’ in your life?

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