Introduction
Interpersonal communication is an integral part of our everyday life and a subject of study of sociology, psychology, linguistics, and other disciplines. It is an informational exchange between two or more people. The success of the communicative process is based on the way the sender encodes a message and the way the receiver interprets it. The paper aims to define the types of communication used in the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith and analyze the most common barriers to communication.
Types of Communication
Depending on the communication channel, communication is divided into verbal and non-verbal types (West & Turner, 2010). Verbal communication is performed by the spoken and written word. Usually, talking to a person in real life is the most efficient way of conveying and interpreting messages as one can receive more information through non-verbal signs as well. When John (Brad Pitt) meets Jane (Angelina Jolie) their first interaction is nonverbal: They establish eye contact and exchange the message of becoming acquainted. Later they get acquainted officially through verbal interaction by greeting each other and introducing themselves (Liman & Kinberg, 2005). Nonverbal communication implies interaction through wordless signs. It includes emotions and feelings that impact body language, facial expressions, voice, and behavior (West & Turner, 2010). The nonverbal signs often make it easier for a receiver to understand the verbal information, and even get the message without any verbal expression at all. However, both Jane and John are good manipulators and liars and professionally hide their real feelings.
Barriers to Communication
All types of communication occur in a certain context and are influenced by various factors. People come from different social and cultural backgrounds and may have entirely different visions and attitudes toward the same subject. Such diversity may raise some difficulties in communicating the right ideas between two people. The most common communication barriers are physical, psychological, cultural, language, emotional, and gender barriers. The physical barrier means any physical obstacle or disturbance that interferes the communication. When John is talking to his friend about Jane, he is engaged in practicing wrestling. The mouth guard that he is wearing and the noise of the fight make it difficult for a receiver to hear the sender. People often see and hear what they want or expect to see. Therefore, miscommunication happens on a psychological level. When it becomes apparent that both Jane and John are snipers, they automatically assume that one is going to kill another. Instead of attempting to talk, John takes his gun out, and Jane runs away. The example of a language barrier is shown at the beginning of the movie when Jane pretends not to understand some policemen because they speak Spanish.
The emotional barrier in the story is based on a feeling of betrayal, fear, and pride. John says he wants a divorce: “You obviously want me dead and I am less and less concerned of your well-being” (Liman & Kinberg, 2005, p. 71). Both of them are too proud to be the first to admit that they care about one another. Jane does not believe that John was shooting at her car by accident and she does not tell him that it was her colleague who tried to kill him in the elevator. The series of misinterpretations and secrets lead to further conflict in their communication.
The movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a valuable resource for communication studies as it focuses on a relationship that is based on secrets, understatements, evasions, and suspicions. All these elements are exaggerated but represent a clear example of factors that are harmful to successful communication.
References
Liman, D. (Director), & Kinberg, S. (Screenwriter). (2005). Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Web.
West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2010). Understanding Interpersonal Communication: Making Choices in Changing Times, Enhanced Edition. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.