Plot
In 1942, an intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.
Release Year: 2016
Rating: 7.4/10 (161 voted)
Critic's Score: /100
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Brad Pitt, Vincent Ebrahim, Xavier De Guillebon
Storyline
In 1942, an intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.
Trivia:
The inspirations for the film's costumes were Casablanca (1942) and Now, Voyager (1942), where the costumes combined both simplicity and beauty. See more »
Quotes:
User Review
Author:
Rating: 7/10
Quite the duplicitous plot! Robert Zemeckis' Allied released by
Paramount Pictures is a thrilling tale of espionage and love. We have
certainly seen a few different "spy" movies over the last couple of
years; some more about espionage and others more about the drama that
ensues afterwards. Fortunately, Allied feels like a genuine spy movie
that actually contains espionage. The production design and costumes
are a beautiful throwback to the fabulous 40s. You'll find yourself
reaching for a glass of champagne and swing dancing to Benny Goodman's
timeless big band jazz hit Sing, Sing, Sing. There is one city
synonymous with WWII, espionage, and romance and you will appropriately
return to that iconic city of Casablanca in Allied. This is definitely
not a reimagined Casablanca but there are indirect references to that
movie sprinkled throughout this new story. Films like this one require
top notch talent, and both Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard deliver
outstanding performances to accompany this staple in film genres. Not
limited to the love story between Pitt's and Cotillard's respective
characters, the movie also includes some deadly shootout scenes and
dangerously close encounters with the Nazis behind enemy lines.
Commander and intelligence officer Max Vatan (Pitt) is stationed in the
famous city of Casablanca in French Morocco where he teams up with
French resistance movement leader Marianne Beausejour (Cotillard).
Impressed by her ability to so effectively blend in and create her
authentic cover, Vatan soon finds himself falling in love with his
partner. Following the assassination of a Nazi ambassador, Beausejour
and Vatan flee to London to start their life together. Everything is
going beautifully for the happy couple in their second year of marriage
with a child when Vatan's superiors confront him with the suspicion
that Marianne is in fact a Nazi spy. Refusing to believe it to be true,
Max must now conduct his own investigation into his wife's history to
protect the ones he loves so dearly.
I absolutely adored the look and feel of the film as it echoes the era
of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Although this movie plays off a tad
listless as a result of failing to elicit a strong emotional response
from the audience, it is not without it outstanding elements. It
benefits from solid acting and beautiful cinematography as well as some
fantastic symbolism. Robert Zemeckis' talent for visual storytelling is
clearly visible in this period film. The weakness in the ability to
successfully leave a lasting emotional impact on the audience is in the
writing and executive producership of Steven Knight (Eastern Promises).
For films that are not as much about the spectacle as they are the
drama between characters and the challenge faced therein, it is vitally
important that the personal/interpersonal relationships transcend the
screen and directly impact the audience. All the makings were there for
a deeply moving cinematic story, but it just doesn't quite make that
transition from the mostly superficial and distant.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall...(interesting fun fact: this misquoted
line from Snow White is actually "magic mirror on the wall"). But, I
digress. The strategic use of mirrors is an incredible use of visual
storytelling and symbolism. For those who have studied film or literary
rhetoric, the mirror is a classic means of conveying duplicity (two
sides, faces, etc of a character). Even without knowing that this was a
spy movie, I would have been able to infer that from how the mirrors
are shot and placed within the composition of the 24 frames a second.
When using powerful symbolism as part of the visual story, it conveys
so much more meaning in a scene than words could actually describe.
Mirrors have long sense been a powerful metaphor even before moving
pictures. But motion pictures allow for a greater use of the importance
it plays in a cinematic story. Not limited to duplicity, mirrors can
also be used as a metaphor for self-reflection. Whether talking
duplicity or reflection, the mirror aids in conveying so much to the
audience in this movie.
Ordinarily, I am not a fan of classic films getting remakes; however,
there are always exceptions when the core or essence of the film is
held in tact but the production design, direction, and cinematography
are brought up to speed with contemporary cinema. If you're a fan of
WWII era films or the timeless spy movie, then you will definitely
enjoy Allied. After witnessing the significance of Casablanca in this
movie, I am actually looking forward to a remake if there ever is one.
Provided. That the overall look and feel of the movie is in line with
classical motion picture storytelling. I could definitely see Robert
Zemeckis directing a remake of Casablanca. Occasionally there are
directors who can strike the balance between classical cinematic
storytelling told through contemporary technology, and Zemeckis
definitely struck that balance in Allied.
Don't allow the weak writing to dissuade you from watching it; there is
actually a lot to enjoy in this film. After the slow burn during the
first act, acts II and III are full of intrigue and suspense.
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