The extreme pressures of war threaten the sanctity of marriage between a man and a women who are otherwise “Allied”. Director Robert Zimeckis returns to the silver screen bringing his film set In 1942 North Africa, with Canadian intelligence officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) meeting French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) on a secret mission behind enemy lines. The couple reunites in London and eventually get married, and have a child together. Their relationship is strong and normal but becomes threatened by the brink of war, as Vatan is presented with the possibility that Beausejour is a sleeper spy working for the Germans to deceive him and his country. Vatan is then placed under considerable pressure to kill Beausejour himself or to be executed for failing to obey orders. Convinced of her innocence, he sets out on a very dangerous mission to clear her name and rid the resistance. “Allied” is rated R for violence, some sexuality/nudity, language and brief drug use.
Robert Zemeckis is a director who always shoots with the most noble of intentions for his period pieces. He understands the look and feel of every time piece, and it’s in that dedication where “Allied” fires on nearly every cylinder of human emotional response. In his newest film, we get an example of a dual atmosphere being played out, with two different styles in tone being considered for the plot of this narrative. With the first act of the movie, this is as genuine of a love story as you have ever seen. The chemistry between Pitt and Cotillard is what makes this work so genuinely, omitting a breath of fresh air to the days past when stars like Gable and Kelly graced the silver screen. The first act is the longest because there is great importance in what goes into their relationship for the crumbling down that inevitably comes later on. For us to understand what went into this romantic affair, we then get the benefit of feeling fully invested when things go South, and this is expert storytelling.
One scene in particular during this first act is a love scene that plays out inside of a car, while a sandstorm is happening around them. This might seem corny or out of place in the hands of a more than capable director like Robert, but its deposition is played out so beautifully and artistic for how every love scene should be shot. There is no music playing opposite of what is transpiring. Instead we only hear the heightening of the storm translating the heightening of passion that is being played out inside of the car, and it makes for a scene worthy of goosebumps. The revolving camera aspect is also quite a visual achievement during such a scene, and I would be curious to watch a DVD extra on how a scene like this was achieved in post-production.
The second act turns things into the movie that we were advertised in the trailer, with a psychological thriller of paranoia being played out. The time piece of World War II is already one of great concern for the characters in our film, but to put that as the backdrop for what unfolds before our very eyes with the concept that our own protagonist could be getting fooled in the same manor that he has done as a spy so many times is breathtaking. There’s this cloud of atmospheric tension being played out that Zemeckis decides to shoot with no musical accompany. This is a positive and a negative during many sequences throughout this film. The positive comes in the captivating tension that mesmerizes our very eyes and ears to the life that has been sucked out of this household. The negatives come later on when the movie doesn’t heighten the panic from these characters fast-paced decisions by offering a riveting musical background. There was also some plot conveniences during this section of the movie that only prolonged the dilemma facing Pitt in nailing down these rumors.
The final act continues one of these two stories, but I will not spoil it for you the reader. Instead I will tell you that I left the theater satisfied for the journey that this story took me on. Simply put, THIS is how you write a genre-defining movie. With unpredictable circumstances being played out around our characters, who are a cause-and-effect of such moral injustices. Zemeckis shows us what it meant to inhabit the lifestyle of being a spy, and the very consequences that come with being too close to the lifestyle. The movie describes in depth what it was to live among a war during the age, and that frightening reality that comes with the possibility that you maybe don’t fully know the person who you love the most in this world. A concept that always kept me fully intrigued, and never lost any momentum through two hours of brilliant writing.
The big-budgeted set pieces and landscape sequences that played out in the movie were very telling of the lifestyle in Morocco during the post-depression era. The wardrobe and cars stretch on for miles through a very immense cast that felt like we were constantly being introduced to a new character. With a budget of 85 million dollars, it’s clear that no artistic direction was spared to capture the essence of Casablanca style for the film. There is some CGI in the movie that I felt was very unnecessary, and played against the tempo of the surreal action that hits us in droves. In particular, there were two scenes of CGI blood that took me out of the sequence and felt like I was watching a SyFy movie of the week. The blood wasn’t necessary to showcase any thought or ideal for the scene, so I didn’t understand why even opting for something so fake. Perhaps their wardrobe and set pieces cut into the CGI violence budget. Either way, I could’ve done without it.
Pitt and Cotillard have been the subject of much controversy with rumors of the duo having an off-screen affair during shooting, and after seeing the intense sequences between them I can understand the concern. The chemistry between them is easy to marvel and get lost in the very passion that omits from their characters spending too much time with one another. Almost an art imitating life kind of feel to the movie. As for their individual performances however, I couldn’t have asked for more gritty realism in depiction for a spy superlative. Brad Pitt gives another Nazi-smashing performance, but for the first time his character feels human. Perhaps the emphasis on the real loneliness of playing make believe as a spy resonated with my interest in his character. His accents have definitely gotten a lot sharper, and Brad gives us a reminder of why he’s one of the most versatile actors working in big budget today. Cotillard is leaps and bounds among the elite in modern actresses. Her performance unfolded articulately when playing against the unfolding narrative that reveals very little about her character. She’s very much a stranger to us halfway through the movie, and our concerns are raised much like Pitt’s when we approach the fear that we really do not know her. Marion channels innocence as well as great intelligence with her character. Either of which are bound to deceive you in one way or another.
“Allied” is an engaging showcase for Pitt and Cotillard, but its shining elegance shines through in its veteran director who captivates us with a heartfelt nod to old-fashioned ideals. Zemeckis builds the tension to a somber climax for this rare Thanksgiving date movie that offers something for both sides of the movie-going couple. A very noteworthy wartime drama.
7/10