As the credits started to roll for “Allied” and after my friend and me exchanged our views of the movie, something else caught my eye. Brad Pitt’s hair is spectacular, of course this is coming from someone who is hair challenged. Pitt’s hair though was not the reason I came for the movie, I came because of who was involved. Staring the never aging Pitt and the always-phenominal Marion Cotillard, as well as being written by Steven Knight, and directed by Robert Zemeckis, it was only downhill from there.
Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) has just been assigned to Casablanca for a mission. His wife Marianne (Marion Cotillard), is there waiting for him, well, not his real wife. Marianne you see is his mission wife, and it is their job to assassinate a German Ambassador. It seems playing husband and wife can actually lead to real love, as the two get involved knowing one or both will not make it through the mission alive. The gods were smiling on them both, as they make it through, and Vatan asks Marianne to be his wife for real and go to London. After some clearance, Marianne is allowed to join Max, and they start a family amidst the hell that is war. Things though are not what they seem, as Max will be put to the test after an accusation is made. The clock is ticking, as Max must find the truth in order to save everything that is important to him.
With War World II as a backdrop, the cast was the cherry on top for me. Having a thing for stories about the last Great War makes movies like this pop up on my radar rather easily. Add to the fact that this is the first film in a while that Zemeckis relies on the story more then some fantastic effect; you can say my hopes were high. “Allied” is a well done movie that happens to take place during a war, but has a story that could happen no matter when it was set. With strong performances by both Pitt and Cotillard, Zemeckis is looking to be in top form, this film lived up to my hopes. Knight (Eastern Promises) weaves a story of loyalty and betrayal, which will keep you wondering what will happen next. “Allied” is another, in what is shaping up to be a good year for films about the last Great War. Where many focus on show as much as tell, “Allied” relies on its story to do all of its heavy lifting. I hope Zemeckis makes more films like this, because he has always been so good at telling stories.
Until then I am very happy with what we got here, and I know you will be as well. I was one of those many that were worried that Zemeckis was never going to let go of that motion capture animation, but with his last few films he’s reminded us of what he was always capable of, and the films have proven it.
