Review of Allied (2016) by Liam M — 25 Jun 2017

Allied will probably be remembered more for its off-screen drama between Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard and the eventual divorce to Angelina Jolie than the actual movie itself on screen, and that should tell you all you need to know about how Allied measures up to the competition.

The movie thrives in its early stages as Cotillard and Pitt's characters meet for the first time on mission. We get some great shots of their interaction and the eventual segway from professionalism to realism when they fall for each other after a job they pull. We get to see the story build organically and the relationship come to fruition, but past the one mission, the movie slowly bores you into is she or isn't she double crossing everyone.

The clues and hints are a little too on the nose for how it all plays out in the end, but they do their best to offer us one last twist to keep you guessing. I think Pitt is a great actor when he is allowed to act and actually speak. It's bothersome in Allied that all we mostly see of him is a passive face with quick quips. Cotillard easily shines as the better of the two given more material to work with.

With strong notes of nostalgia (like from Casablanca) thanks to director Robert Zemeckis watchful eye, he unfortunately neglects giving the actors any chance of feeling like their acting in the present instead of staring off into the abyss or feeling to Shakespearean in their dialogue.

Allied won't blow you away with its premise, but it's good enough to keep you on your toes despite most of the information being fed to us via dialogue from other characters than seeing any true deceit. I'm not sure this one was worth giving up the marriage.