Why Action + Romance Works: Mr. & Mrs, Smith Could Be Starting a Trend

MsMojo

Action and romance go together like Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re examining how “Mr. &amp; Mrs. Smith” could be starting a trend in regards to the blending of genres.

Transcript

00:00 "I like to read to get to sleep."

00:02 "I do the dishes while I'm cooking."

00:05 "Oooh."

00:06 Welcome to Ms. Mojo.

00:08 And today we're examining how Mr. and Mrs. Smith could be starting a trend in regards to the blending of genres.

00:14 "Okay, so you're mad that I saved the day. That's what you're mad about."

00:17 "No, I'm mad that you take all the credit."

00:19 Action and romance seem like disparate categories.

00:23 One focused on shootouts, car chases and death.

00:26 The other on love and companionship.

00:28 But, as Amazon's Mr. and Mrs. Smith beautifully proves, the two may be more alike than we think.

00:34 The two genres work so well exactly because they shouldn't.

00:38 Opposites attract and all that.

00:40 Blending the two together allows your product to span demographics that typically don't overlap.

00:45 It allows couples that might otherwise disagree on their entertainment to find common ground and watch something they can both enjoy.

00:51 And perhaps most important of all, it allows the action genre to be sexy.

00:55 You see, action relies on romance more than one may think.

00:58 And action brings an exciting spark of life to romance.

01:01 "You got this? Be careful."

01:04 "Nice one, babe."

01:10 Come on, why do you think James Bond has been popular for half a century?

01:13 It's not because he drives invisible cars, we'll tell you that.

01:16 "Aston Martin call it the vanquish, we call it the vanish."

01:23 As Mr. and Mrs. Smith smartly proves, action and romance don't just work together like chocolate and peanut butter.

01:30 They actually complement each other through their themes, storylines, and ideas.

01:34 Francesca Sloan and Donald Glover proved with Mr. and Mrs. Smith that action and romance are one in the same.

01:40 And that action could be used as metaphor to help explain romance.

01:44 And they did this through the structure of the series.

01:50 "I think they're just easing us in. You know, it's always like this at a stakeout at first."

01:55 The couple's getting to know each other, sharing a drink at a local pub while bonding over their shared experiences.

02:00 They take a walk around the city while trying to intercept a package.

02:03 The episode even ends with them delivering a gorgeous cake, a physical symbol of capital R romance, of etiquette, beauty, and refinement.

02:12 "Okay. Wow, so just a whole new life."

02:19 "Hmm."

02:20 Episode 2, Second Date.

02:22 John and Jane are asked to infiltrate a black tie event and give truth serum to a shady billionaire.

02:28 In essence, this is the couple's first major date, a fancy occasion that requires them to dress nice and look sharp.

02:35 "Nice."

02:36 "Oh, thank you, so do you."

02:38 And when they accidentally kill Eric Shane and dispose of his body in the composter,

02:43 it serves as the couple's first obstacle that only brings them closer.

02:47 In this case, sleeping together for the first time.

02:50 "Do you wanna kiss me?"

02:52 "It's not as dogs this time, just actually."

03:00 First Vacation.

03:02 John and Jane head to the Italian Dolomites to spy on Gavall and Parker, serving as their first international getaway.

03:09 But it's also through Gavall and Parker that they learn some hard truths about serious relationships.

03:13 The couple's doomed relationship asks John and Jane to confront their own,

03:17 and each takes a different side in the couple's fight.

03:20 Through their fight, we learn that John is a more caring and loving person hoping for physical intimacy,

03:26 whereas Jane is a more calculating woman focused on her professional work.

03:30 "Is it so bad to just like, wanna have affection from your wife? It's not the worst thing in the world."

03:36 "I mean, that's Gavall Martin. Her net worth is, what, like the GDP of Australia? She needs sleep."

03:43 Just like Gavall and Parker, the fractures begin to show, and John and Jane have their first major fight.

03:49 But following an intense shootout in the snow, Jane helps John regain his composure, and the two strengthen their bond.

03:56 Once again, through tragedy and death comes healing.

03:59 "I like, really, really care about you."

04:04 Double Date shows John and Jane as a happy and confident couple,

04:08 hosting an elegant dinner and getting along well with their guests.

04:11 In this case, their guests just happen to be fellow spies.

04:14 "Do you want kids?" is when things start to fall apart for our titular heroes.

04:18 This episode is one long, extended metaphor, with the frail and needy Toby Hellinger standing in for a young child.

04:25 "I think I threw up."

04:27 "You scared me."

04:29 "I'll go."

04:32 "No, it's fine."

04:34 He demands things and tests their patience, and whereas Jane is maternal and caring, John is cold and demanding.

04:41 "One leg over slowly."

04:42 "We don't have a lot of time."

04:44 "There you go."

04:45 "He knows we're in a hurry, right?"

04:46 "It's okay, John. Okay."

04:48 "Boy, if you don't put your foot on the ground right now."

04:52 It's telling that the episode ends with their house, the very symbol of domesticity and stability, exploding into pieces.

04:59 Just as Toby represents their potential child, their exploding house represents their inability to root.

05:05 The final three episodes of the show combine to tell an extended tragic story about the couple's downfall.

05:11 The two attend couples therapy and burn down the therapist's house,

05:14 John starts seeing another woman, a rival spy who nearly kills him with a garrotte,

05:19 and they finally break up as they attempt to kill each other.

05:22 Who hasn't?

05:23 Mr. and Mrs. Smith tells the story of a doomed relationship.

05:27 It just does so through the guise of an action series.

05:30 Each episode acts as a step in their relationship, with the spy subplot often symbolizing an aspect of their personal lives.

05:36 It proves that action and romance can be intertwined,

05:39 that one can actually stand in for the other and help develop its themes.

05:43 Mr. and Mrs. Smith isn't that interested in the spy aspect of things.

05:47 It just uses it as a Trojan horse to sneak in ideas about awkward first dates, vacations, fights, family, and domesticity.

05:55 "John, you wanna bring kids in to this life after a day like we had today?"

05:59 And, like many works of spy fiction, it displays the sexy allure of the genre.

06:04 There are gorgeous international locations, including the aforementioned Dolomites and Italy's Lake Como.

06:10 There are sexy suits and extravagant outfits.

06:12 Their house is filled with giant TV's and seemingly endless bottles of wine.

06:17 It's all very sexy and alluring, beautifully blending the danger with the passion.

06:22 Provided Mr. and Mrs. Smith does well, it could start a trend in regards to taking more creative risks.

06:28 It could encourage the blending of seemingly disparate genres and the use of metaphor,

06:33 perhaps using one genre to help explain the tropes of another.

06:36 It's an exciting prospect, and one that proves the universal aspect of storytelling, however different the story device may be.

06:43 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.

06:49 You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.

06:53 If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.

06:58 Equally exciting is what Mr. and Mrs. Smith did with old IP.

07:03 In today's entertainment landscape, we're being endlessly bombarded with remakes and sequels that don't really try anything new.

07:09 But Mr. and Mrs. Smith took an old idea and put its own unique spin on it,

07:14 taking the basic premise from the 2005 film and using it to explore what is essentially a brand new story.

07:20 It proves that rehashing old ideas doesn't need to be boring.

07:24 It can be artistically invigorating and intellectually rewarding,

07:27 with the old story serving as the foundation for new creative building blocks.

07:32 The success of Mr. and Mrs. Smith proves that we want something new,

07:36 even if it's rooted in the nostalgia of the old.

07:39 What do you think of action and romance together?

07:44 What did you think of Mr. and Mrs. Smith?

07:46 Be sure to let us know in the comments below.

07:49 Do you agree with our picks?

07:57 Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.

08:00 And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.

08:04 [Music]

08:13 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Category

Transcript

Recommended