Pretty good stuff. Doug Liman keeps the focus on facts and trivia about the shoot and directing, while Simon Kinberg reveals a lot about how the script finally found its shape. Seems that this one has been years in the making! This movie balances on a very difficult fence of comedy/romance/violence, and IMO succeeds. The makers here give views to finding this balance in just the right places. Also, the limits of the budget surprise. They cleary managed to make a bigger-budget looking movie than what it actually cost. Of course they realise that they had the two of the "world's most beautiful people" in the leading roles. But mind you, no Angelina & Brad rumours at all!

Never really lags, and they talk about the good and the bad, as there were a lot of production troubles. And it was interesting how they worried about some things that are a bit funny in retrospect; Like would Pitt and Jolie have any chemistry together.

The director felt he was giving the world a new Jolie that people had not seen. Basically, a comedic one. But both of them cannot help but point out moments when she makes a particular look, or just stands a certain way, that is incredibly intoxicating.

As they watch it, they note which scenes were action, and which were romantic comedy, and they basically felt that majority of the film is a romantic comedy, and that is the right way to categorize the film.

They point out numerous scenes that were not in the script, but filmed just because it felt right at the time. Or adlibbed lines and moments.

And they point out so many things that were changed just to be cheaper. Like filming an action scene in the desert. A car chase replaced by Pitt on foot chasing Jolie in a car. And having characters meet in their home rather than a different set.

I am tempted to hear the producer commentary just because they talk about how in general they care about making a good film over just making a profitable one. And how one producer thought they were making an action film, and the other producer understood it was a romantic comedy.

It does runs out of steam a little bit in the 3rd act, just like the movie does. And they start talking about all the different versions of the movie moreso then the scenes in the film itself.

I am pissed that they knock the great film "A Long Kiss Goodnight" in this commentary.

OK, for producers' track, I guess. They give enough info to keep it interesting, and seem like nice guys, but wander off ego-tripping and spinal-tapping at times with lines like "by the way, you still owe me 800 bucks" and "I jumped into that pool... oh, let's not say anything more!" Couldn't listen the whole way through, though.

Well, I made it through, as unlike a lot of producer commentaries, these guys really did have a lot to do with the making of the film. There were so many financial and production issues, the producers could not just sit back and be the money men here.

And they are pretty entertaining on their own, although definitely not as informative as the writer/director were on their track. Of interest is how many alternate ideas were scrapped financially, but parts of which can be seen once they point it out.

The villains written out of the film. Maybe four large action set pieces that only the beginning or ending of was used. I was surprised each time they point out a reshoot, even if just a closeup, made 9 months later, after the leads had gone off and made a whole other film.

Tronick and Mann are recorded together, while Elam is off on his own. This is usually not a problem, although sometimes Elam mentions something the other two have already discussed. Not a bad nuts and bolts commentary, but there are many more instances of silence after the first third of the track.

Tronick and Mann both had to interview with the director, Doug Liman, several times before they were selected for the project. They are diplomatic in stating that they grew to appreciate working with him, but adapting to his process was challenging and sometimes contentious.

Much of the visual effects comments by Elam are pointing out how shots were combined and composites, using both miniatures and digitally created effects. One of the early shots of Colombia was a shot from Clear and Present Danger that they elaborated by adding other elements. They shot in and around LA for a NYC based film, so there was a lot of painting out of palm trees. The desert scene was originally to take place in an alpine setting but the effects involved would have been too expensive.

Brad Pitt had input and ideas for the Smith house set, which when used for the fight scene proved to be the subject of many difficult discussions.

Tronick and Mann point out many continuity gaffes and where reshoots and original photography have been merged. There were many reshoots as the film involved, part of an organic filmmaking process.

Liman was involved in editing virtually and contributed ideas via the Internet. Tronick always had abundant choices when constructing the film when pulling from takes of the performances by Jolie, Pitt, and Vince Vaughn, who ad-libbed often. Other editors with more experience in action films were brought in to help with certain scenes.

Obtaining the PG-13 rating for the film turned out not to be a problem.