Review: Allied

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Could you do it?

Canadian Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) is an intelligence officer on a mission in Casablanca. His partner, French Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard) are instructed to pose as a married couple and assassinate some German officers during WWII. After completing their mission, they move to London and marry for real. After some time, Max is told that Marianne may be a German spy, and if it's proven she is, he must execute her himself. 

Allied poses a heavy question. If you found out your beloved spouse was spying for another country, one that's consistently bombing the one you live in, would you believe it? If it was true, could you actually kill them yourself? I'd probably chicken out, personally and Max is understandably about 2 inches away from an existential crisis over it for the last half of the film. 

I feel the same way about Allied as I did The Accountant. It's not a bad film, far from it, it just didn't wow me. It's certainly worth seeing, though maybe on DVD. It does quite a few things right. Pitt and Cotillard are perfectly cast, the score is fitting and the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, but it's missing something. I can't quite put my finger on it, and while it builds suspense very well during the first 3rd of the film, it fails to match that level again. One thing I thought it did very well was the air raids in England. While they don't show the brutal reality of them, the shots of the skies were horrifying.

Recommended: Yes, but no rush.

Grade: C+

Memorable Quote: "A husband always offers his wife a cigarette before lighting his own." - Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard)

Comments

  1. Courtney YoungNovember 29, 2016 at 9:36 AM

    Yeah, I got the same impression that I don't need to rush to go see this one. It just doesn't intrigue me, although I hear it's quite a beautiful film to look at. I think I'll wait and watch this one at home :\

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamNovember 29, 2016 at 11:06 AM

      Visually it's gorgeous. Right now it's the most interesting thing here that has showtimes I can see, so I didn't mind that I paid the theater price for it.

      Delete
  2. RuthNovember 29, 2016 at 10:38 PM

    This movie is all style, no substance. I actually was more entertained by The Accountant more than this one, but yeah, neither is a great movie.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamNovember 30, 2016 at 7:00 AM

      It's definitely style over substance. Both could've been great too, it's a shame they weren't.

      Delete
  3. MyerlaNovember 30, 2016 at 3:46 AM

    Did the film ever explain why he, Max, had to shoot his Wife with his own hand? I saw that scene in the trailer and thought it odd he had to it himself.

    Still, I may see this at the cinema but reviews have been mixed so, like you said, i may wait to DVD.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamNovember 30, 2016 at 6:47 AM

      Not explicitly. I think it had more to do with him being closest to her and the possibility of him being charged as an accomplice if he didn't. I thought that part was a bit of a stretch.

      Delete
  4. John HitchcockNovember 30, 2016 at 6:40 AM

    I didn't know about this one. Funny you should do this now seeing as I have an event I'm looking looking at doin oh where an article like this would be appropriate. http://hitchcocksworld.blogspot.ca/2016/11/twelve-wars-to-christmas.html?m=1&zx=715704d726a8447b

    Anyway, this one sounds intense, but if it's not that great I could probably wait for it to show up on Netflx or something.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousNovember 30, 2016 at 7:55 AM

    I keep putting this one off so I guess it's relegated to DVD now.
    I really couldn't believe it about Sean. And I suppose if it was true, I'd be a bit lenient with him. My allegiance is with him, I suppose.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamNovember 30, 2016 at 12:10 PM

      Same. I couldn't do it. I'd probably just bail and run away to another country or something lol

      Delete
  6. UnknownNovember 30, 2016 at 8:30 AM

    Ooh, embarrassingly I had no idea what the plot was o this until I read your opening paragraph! I wasn't planning to see it at all, but I'll definitely look out for a VoD release now :)
    - Allie

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamNovember 30, 2016 at 12:10 PM

      lol it's okay. It's not like it got a ton of advertising until about a week prior to its release.

      Delete
  7. m.brownNovember 30, 2016 at 9:54 AM

    It seems weird that this movie just sort of exists...but I'm still interested in seeing it. I'll probably wait for DVD as you say, but the thought of seeing Cotillard on the big screen may be more than I can handle. Goodness.

    If she's my wife, let them kill me instead. A bullet is the last thing I'm putting in her.

    ReplyDelete
  8. KatyDecember 3, 2016 at 4:22 PM

    Interesting review - the premise almost reminds me too much of Mr and Mrs Smith. lol Pitt and Cotillard look promising in the trailers, but like your recommendation, not really in a rush to see it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamDecember 3, 2016 at 10:16 PM

      I fell asleep during Mr. And Mrs Smith when I saw it in theaters.

      Delete

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