An Allied Forces officer marries a beautiful French resistance fighter,
but their love is tested when it's revealed that she may be a German spy. DRAMA/WAR
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Allied (2016)Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Written by Steven Knight Starring Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Betts, Simon McBurney, Matthew Goode Oscar Nominations - Best Costume Design |
Allied wants so badly to be the next Casablanca, but it falters big time due to an uneven pace and a huge anticlimactic letdown of an ending. Even the impeccable onscreen chemistry of Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard couldn't keep this film from drifting into "almost great" territory. I've been a fan of Robert Zemeckis's work since I was a kid, so it's disappointing to me when he drops the ball. I hate to say that Allied is a big fat ball-dropper.
The entire film is built around the suspense that comes from the accusation that Marion Cotillard's character may be a German spy. This is after they've been married for a year and have a baby girl. The hunt for evidence is the best part of the film and is done very well. It's only after the truth is revealed that the film takes an abrupt left turn and tries to wrap up two hours worth of build-up in about ten minutes, almost like it was an afterthought. Not only did the third act cheapen the rest of the film, but it left so many unanswered questions. I wanted another hour just to clear things up and provide a more concise ending. Allied is a film featuring a host of fantastic performances and some beautiful cinematography and set design. Its main problems stem from a rushed screenplay and the assumption that the audience is omniscient. When it comes to suspenseful films, you have to give us something. If you keep us in the dark the entire time and then end with an endless trail of loose ends, your film isn't up to snuff. Such is the case with Allied, a film I was really counting on to be great. |