Photo from USA Today

Spoiler Free Review

Rating: 4/5

The original Mr & Mrs Smith (2005) is a Hollywood spy escapade commemorated for giving us the iconic pairing of Brangelina: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Now, Amazon Prime breaks the ‘remake curse’ with its new eight-part series, offering us charm and wit. Eliciting an unexpectedly vibrant feel, the show creators Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover deliberately avoid a mindless action thriller, opting for a more clever approach.

From episode one, viewers are thrown into a world of espionage and conspiracy, blurring the lines of love and danger. However, the setup differs from the 2005 movie; rather than rival assassins in an accidental marriage, Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s play reimagined strangers, John and Jane, who sign their lives over to an anonymous yet lucrative organisation and pose as a married couple. Glover and Erskine’s on-screen chemistry is dynamic as their banter effortlessly mixes humour and charm, captivating the audience as they manoeuvre through their arranged relationship — the couple add a new and mesmerising feel to the classic spy genre.

The mysterious corporation communicates with the Smiths via messages from who they call “Mr Hihi.” Their first mission appears to be a low-risk delivery, which is against what they hoped, as they opted in for high-risk assignments. By the end of the episode, the Smiths quickly learn Mr Hihi is more menacing than originally appears. Throughout the series, the couple is sent out on high-risk missions with minimal instructions, resulting in them ‘winging it’. We see them having to shoot or fight their way to safety in locations such as art auctions, ski resorts and upscale places. The show hosts an array of guest stars, including Alexander Skarsgård, Paul Dano, and Michaela Coel. 

What distinguishes the new Mr. & Mrs. Smith from its predecessor is its pacing and adrenaline-inducing action sequences. Each episode is filled with stunts, intense fight scenes and surprising plot twists, leaving the audience eager for the next episode. The series keeps it small with tight 40-minute episodes, featuring alluring locations from New York and various European cities.

Alongside their mission impossible-esque drama, John and Jane evolve from strangers to colleagues to lovers. John finds contentment in yoga, while Jane remains distant from those around her. During stakeouts and shootouts, the Smiths tackle the intimacies and ordinaries of married life, like dividing up household chores and listening to someone talk with food in their mouth. The creators effortlessly develop their relationship as they grow fond of each other, which seems refreshing but also slightly inevitable. 

Glover and Erskine are always fun to watch, as they both have great comic timing. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is definitely a remake better than the original.