Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) has everything you could want in a movie – action, mystery, romance, and the collective star power of Hollywood A-listers Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. When I learned that there would be a Prime Video remake created by Donald Glover (Atlanta, Community) and would feature him alongside Maya Erskine (PEN15), I was immediately intrigued and eagerly anticipated the series premiere on 2 February.
I was lucky enough to score tickets to an exclusive screening of the first two episodes of Mr. and Mrs. Smith last night at the historic Curzon Mayfair, an arthouse cinema with a rich history, and the experience was incredible.
I arrived a little early to collect my ticket and quickly made my way towards the neon blue lights of the cinema to join other fans in the queue, excited to watch the show.
After going through security, I caught a glimpse of Donald Glover and Maya Erskine taking pictures and interacting with fans before heading into the building. Along the way to the screening, there was a dedicated space for fans, influencers, and other guests to take pictures and have the full Hollywood experience.
I arrived at the gorgeous screening room and settled into the lush blue seats, eager to watch the modern retelling of one of my favourite movies. No cinema-going experience is complete without snacks, and it was great to indulge in some sweet and salty popcorn while waiting for other guests to arrive and the show to start.
As the seats filled up, the event kicked off with popular British presenter Clara Amfo welcoming the audience and introducing Vernon Sanders, Head of Television at Amazon MGM Studios, and Francesca Sloane, showrunner of the show. To everyone’s delight and thunderous applause, Donald Glover (Director, Exec Producer, Co-Creator and John Smith) and Maya Erskine (Jane Smith), made a grand entrance and joined them on stage. After an amusing moment where we all hoped to collectively fangirl over guest star Michaela Coel, but unfortunately learned she wasn’t in the audience or in London, Donald thanked the audience and gave a special thank you to Francesca and Maya for being his collaborators. He spoke about how they had worked on the show since the pandemic and hoped everyone enjoyed it. And with that Francesca, Donald and Maya thanked the audience again and left the stage.
Unlike the 2005 movie, where the titular characters fall in love on vacation only to learn that they were both spies working for rival organisations years into their marriage, the new series Mr. & Mrs. Smith follows two lonely strangers who start working for a mysterious spy agency. They then adopt a new identity as a married couple, Mr. & Mrs. Smith who embark on a high-risk mission every week while also facing new relationship milestones. Their cover story becomes more complicated when they start to develop feelings for each other, raising the question – what is riskier, espionage or marriage?
The first two episodes plunge us right into the action and are filled with explosive scenes, humorous capers, and bizarre missions, as well as the beginning of a budding romance between the lead characters. We’re also introduced to a few guest stars, including Alexander Skarsgård(The Northman), Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver), Paul Dano (The Batman), and John Turturro (Barton Fink). And that’s just the first two episodes, so the rest of the series promises to be even more thrilling!
All episodes of Mr. & Mrs. Smith will be available to watch on Prime Video on 2 February.
