'Allied' Review

Nominated for: Best Costume Design.

Allied is a dramatic romantic thriller following the exploits of two World War II operatives stationed in French Morocco posing as husband and wife in efforts to assassinate the German ambassador. However the pretend relationship blossoms into an actual romance as Canadian intelligence officer Max Vatan and French resistance fighter Marianne Beauséjour fall in love. Fast-forward a year, the two have a daughter and British intelligence have reason to suspect that Marianne is a German spy, and provided they're correct Max will be under order to execute his own wife. Max then takes it upon himself to discover the truth and do everything possible to prove her innocence. 

Allied is the latest directorial effort from Academy Award winning director Robert Zemeckis, best known for helming  the Back To The Future trilogy, Forrest Gump, Cast Away and Flight, and certainly seemed like a promising addition to his filmography based on the tantalizing premise, A-list talent involved, and the stellar marketing material but in reality is simply a substandard romance set in the WWII era with some dramatic moments of '40s spy thriller tension. Zemeckis clearly is homaging romantic dramas of the era with heavy influence from Casablanca, so much so that the first half of Allied actually is set in the city of Casablanca, and succeeds in his endeavor to evoke the atmosphere of classic Hollywood but the pacing and tone suffers as a result from the mash-up of romantic drama and spy thriller genres. 

Zemeckis and frequent cinematographer Don Burgess frame some compelling shots that place just emphasis on the meaningful while simultaneously escalating the tense environment. Zemeckis' knack for CG-heavy backgrounds is a tad noticeable at times, such as the Moroccan desert, but the authentic production and costume design work stands out as a nice embellishment for the genuine '40s setting. Zemeckis also teams with recurring composer Alan Silvestri and Silvestri's compositions are suitable accompaniment but nothing remarkable in comparison to his previous scores. The screenplay from Steven Knight provides a meaningful story but fails in propping up a scandalous romance, in that dramatic tension is absent where it shouldn't be. 

Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard bring a suave, charming demeanor to Max and Marianne but their chemistry onscreen isn't as charged as one would expect from these accomplished actors. The pair looks fabulous onscreen but the underlying spark just isn't there. However they put forth their best efforts and provide some fantastic performances, Pitt plays up his dramatic scenes while Cotillard relishes in her cryptic character. Supporting characters are surface-level, in the background of the romance, but notable inclusions are Jared Harris and Lizzy Caplan. 

Allied makes for an enjoyable WWII thriller in it's best moments and a mediocre stylish romance in it's worst, the combination of which making for a more muddled viewing experience than I was expecting. There are without a doubt incredible things to find in Allied; stylish visuals, engaging action sequences, and great performances but the less-than-stellar love affair at its core detracts from the intended dramatic weight and emotional resonance. Allied is a tad disappointing when Zemeckis' past work is taken into consideration but succeeds in it's vein to be a modern slick love letter to classic '40s Hollywood.

Film Assessment: B-