Allied

I’m all for a director expanding his horizons and trying something new. Robert Zemeckis has directed many beloved films, and the really great ones have a unique Zemeckis-ness about them. That spirit isn’t present in “Allied”. While it’s not a bad film, there’s just something a little off about it. I still recommend it, but only mildly.

Canadian intelligence officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) and French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) are posing as a married couple in order to assassinate the German ambassador of Nazi-occupied Casablanca. The act eventually becomes reality for the two and it seems like the agents are destined for happily ever after... until Max receives new instructions from his superiors. They suspect that Marianne is a German spy. If their hunch proves to be true, it's his job to execute her.

There are great scenes in "Allied". It’s a great premise too. Being told by your superiors that you need to shoot your wife and that if you don't you’ll be hung for treason? If that doesn’t create a big lump in your throat, I don’t know what will. The film's best scenes don't need cheap tricks, they play up little details to great effect. The grinding of an old-timey alarm clock spinning its arms in anticipation for a telephone call is as big as a meteorite sent careening towards earth in the hands of the correct director. Key scenes show that Robert Zemeckis is capable of ramping up the tension, but the thrills are present only in individual scenes, not in the film as a whole. The whole movie’s nail-bitter dial is set at 9 when it should be at a 10.

Marion Cotillard always delivers splendid performances, but she's especially good here. There’s an extra level present in her delivery that makes her particularly enjoyable to watch as Marianne. It’s hard to explain, but I'll try my best. Movies feature actors; people who are pretending to be who they aren’t. This film is about a woman who might not be who she claims she is. By extension, Brad Pitt is also pretending that everything is the same as it’s always been. He’s an actor playing someone that’s acting, but what about her? Based solely on her performance, it’s impossible to decipher. You pay attention to her, to her actions, to the people she talks to, looking for clues to the answer.

There are two major components to this film. First, it's a love story to establish how this couple got together. Then, it's a thriller, which basically proceeds to unravel the romance that preceded it. If Marianne is a Nazi, she’s got to die. If she’s innocent, their relationship won’t be the same; that trust has been tainted now. Terrific on paper, but in execution, I didn't really feel it. I never quite fell in love with Marianne and Max as a couple. I just didn’t sense sparks between them. To compensate, the ending is grand and emotional… but it feels unnecessary, even schmaltzy. I would’ve cut the last minute or so out and it would’ve been a better movie, though I still don’t think it would’ve been a great one.

There are individual moments in “Allied” that make it worth seeing. Marion Cotillard is wonderful and the story is engrossing. As a whole, however, there’s something not quite right about the picture. Considering we’re in November and many of the year’s best are in the theater, this makes “Allied” a letdown. It’s not a bad film but I can’t give it more than a mild recommendation. (Theatrical version on the big screen, November 29, 2016)