Mr. & Mrs. Smith
John and Jane Smith are a normal married couple, living a normal life in a normal suburb, working normal jobs...well, if you can call secretly being assassins "normal". But neither Jane nor John knows about their spouse's secret, until they are surprised to find each other as targets! But on their quest to kill each other, they learn a lot more about each other than they ever did in five (or six) years of marriage.
Despite a considerable budget of $110.0M, Mr. & Mrs. Smith became a solid performer, earning $487.3M worldwide—a 343% return.
9 wins & 18 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) reveals meticulously timed story structure, characteristic of Doug Liman's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 12-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes John and Jane Smith sit in couples therapy, appearing as a bored, disconnected married couple. Their monotonous suburban life has drained their relationship of passion and honesty.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when John and Jane are both assigned to kill the same target, Benjamin Danz. Their mission overlap puts them on a collision course that will expose their secret identities.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 30 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to The truth explodes: John and Jane discover each other's real identities during a tense confrontation at home. Their entire marriage is revealed as built on lies. They're now ordered by their agencies to kill each other., moving from reaction to action.
The Collapse moment at 90 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Trapped and surrounded by dozens of assassins, Jane admits she was assigned to kill John on their first meeting but didn't. The final truth emerges: their marriage, though built on lies, had real love. They face certain death., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 96 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. In perfect synchronization, John and Jane fight through waves of assassins in an extended action sequence. Their combined skills, trust, and communication make them an unstoppable team. They defeat overwhelming odds and survive., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Mr. & Mrs. Smith's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 12 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Mr. & Mrs. Smith against these established plot points, we can identify how Doug Liman utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Mr. & Mrs. Smith within the action genre.
Doug Liman's Structural Approach
Among the 11 Doug Liman films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Mr. & Mrs. Smith takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Doug Liman filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Doug Liman analyses, see Go, Jumper and The Bourne Identity.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
John and Jane Smith sit in couples therapy, appearing as a bored, disconnected married couple. Their monotonous suburban life has drained their relationship of passion and honesty.
Theme
The therapist asks about secrets in their marriage, hinting at the central theme: the lies we tell and the masks we wear destroy intimacy and connection.
Worldbuilding
Flashbacks establish how John and Jane met in Bogotá and married quickly. Present-day scenes reveal their separate secret lives as elite assassins for competing organizations, each deceiving the other.
Disruption
John and Jane are both assigned to kill the same target, Benjamin Danz. Their mission overlap puts them on a collision course that will expose their secret identities.
Resistance
Both successfully complete missions while maintaining their covers. Growing suspicion and failed attempts to eliminate Danz create tension. They begin investigating each other while pretending normalcy at home.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The truth explodes: John and Jane discover each other's real identities during a tense confrontation at home. Their entire marriage is revealed as built on lies. They're now ordered by their agencies to kill each other.
Mirror World
John and Jane's marriage, despite being built on deception, represents what they both truly want: partnership with an equal. This relationship will teach them that honesty and vulnerability are stronger than lies and armor.
Premise
The "War of the Smiths" delivers the promised action-comedy: elaborate assassination attempts, their home destroyed in combat, and competitive banter. They execute hits on each other while grappling with genuine feelings.
Opposition
United against their agencies, John and Jane work together for the first time. But their inability to trust and share information undermines them. Competing kill squads close in as their conflicting methods create friction.
Collapse
Trapped and surrounded by dozens of assassins, Jane admits she was assigned to kill John on their first meeting but didn't. The final truth emerges: their marriage, though built on lies, had real love. They face certain death.
Crisis
In the darkness before the final assault, John and Jane reconcile with honesty for the first time. They share real truths about their past, their feelings, and accept they may die together.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
In perfect synchronization, John and Jane fight through waves of assassins in an extended action sequence. Their combined skills, trust, and communication make them an unstoppable team. They defeat overwhelming odds and survive.