Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt star in a slick romantic adventure comedy in the vein of True Lies and Prizzi's Honor.After winning free sessions with a marriage counsellor as a grabbag gift at a suburban holiday party, a young couple discovers that they're in a deadend marriage. But that's not all they discover unbeknown to the other, each spouse is a covert assassin working at a rival agency, and their next assignment is to kill each other! This book tells their wild story as each confides it to their therapist.

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Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Jane

Dr. Wexler

Katrina -- is the tape on?

Okay, yes. Hand me the mike. This is Dr. Wexler, and theseare the transcripts from my taped sessions with a Mr. and Mrs.John Smith from the first of last month. Compiled and typed upby my assistant, Katrina Östlicher. Also includes commentstyped in from my notes about the patients' facial expressions,body language, etc., etc., as usual, and so on.

When Mr. and Mrs. Smith enter my office, I am somewhat surprised. First of all, they are a bit younger than the couples I usuallysee. Very nice looking, too. Like movie stars, actually, bothof them. Well groomed, neatly dressed. Polite.

Both seem quite pleasant, very intelligent.

And they are smiling.

To look at them, you'd think they were the perfect couple.

So, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I think, what are you doing in a marriagecounselor's office?

Sometimes my clients storm into my office in a bloody rage.Sometimes they come in quiet -- volcanoes about to erupt. Sometimesyou can tell they've even been arguing in the waiting room.Ach! The things my receptionist tells me! I could write a book!

But these two. No clue. They are, if not overly affectionate inpublic, extremely polite with each other. I note that he evenholds out her chair for her. And she says, "Thank you."

Very unusual, in my office.

I am instantly intrigued.

I've been in practice almost twenty-three years, and I've seenjust about everything you can imagine. But in general, mostpeople fall into a few predictable categories. Husband cheatedon wife with another woman. Wife cheated on husband withanother man. Or another woman. Wife more successful in hercareer than husband, and so on.

But I sense something different going on with Mr. and Mrs.Smith. And so, I think, an interesting case.

As usual, I ask permission to record their session. What followsbelow is the taped session, transcribed verbatim to paper,interspersed with my notes and observations.

FIRST SESSION, MR. AND MRS. SMITH

I allow Mr. and Mrs. Smith to settle into their seats. I smile atthem over my glasses, then spend a few moments offering themcoffee or tea (both decline), opening their file, selecting a penfrom my pen holder, polishing my glasses -- a technique that allowsmy clients a chance to settle in and relax before I ask thefirst question.

NOTE: Mr. Smith is already leaning forward, anxious to makesomething clear.

MR. SMITH: "Okay. First up, I want to say we don't reallyneed to be here -- "

NOTE: Yes. A lot of people begin this way.

MRS. SMITH (smiling): "Actually it's a funny story."

auction slash barbecue -- "

MRS. SMITH: " -- our friends the Colemans. They live nextdoor. Devout -- "

MR. SMITH: "Episcopalians."

MRS. SMITH: "Presbyterians."

NOTE: Slight discrepancy. Nothing to worry about. Unless ...ah, yes. A little frown passes between them.

MR. SMITH: "Anyway, the grand lot was -- "

MRS. SMITH: " -- a mystery lot."

MR. SMITH: "I'd sunk a few, wasn't driving -- "

MRS. SMITH: "A few?"

NOTE: Mrs. Smith rolls eyes. Mr. Smith responds with a hardlook. A muscle twitches along his jaw. Obviously his drinking isan issue.

But he doesn't take the bait.

Classic case of withholding his feelings. At least in front ofstrangers.

My early guess is that this is a couple who never argue inpublic.

Mr. Smith continues as if he hasn't been interrupted.

MR. SMITH: "So Jane starts bidding. She gets a tiny bit competitive..."

NOTE: Mrs. Smith's lips purse at this remark. Another issuebetween them?

MR. SMITH: "Upshot is: We end up blowing eight hundredbucks on the mystery lot."

MR. AND MRS. SMITH (at once): "Four sessions with Dr.Wexler."

NOTE: They both laugh. Politely. A little too loudly.

MR. SMITH: "The Colemans have a great sense of humor."

NOTE: Another burst of laughter, which fades quickly.

Now my senses are on alert. The couple hasn't come here ontheir own initiative.

And yet they came.

I scratch out a note, giving them time, to make sure they'vesaid their piece.

Then I look up at them and smile.

ME: "But you didn't have to come."

NOTE: Complete silence.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith glance at each other, then quickly lookaway.

I say nothing, and wait patiently. Sometimes it's the best wayto get someone to talk. A comfortable silence doesn't bother aperson whose mind is at ease. But a pregnant pause seems tocompel people who are nervous to completely spill their guts.It's a little technique I picked up from police dramas on TV.I wait.

MR. SMITH: "Right -- "

MRS. SMITH: "Absolutely."

NOTE: They sit back in their chairs. A bit nervous. I can seeMrs. Smith thinking, though.

MRS. SMITH: "But we have a theory ..."

MR. SMITH (startled): "We do?"

MRS. SMITH (smiling): "The 'Oil Check.' "

MR. SMITH: "Oh. Right."

Excerpted from Mr. and Mrs. Smith by Mark Wexler
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.