Review of The Monuments Men (2014) by Redowlreviews — 23 Feb 2014

A group of men who are tasked with recovering stolen art during WWII? A movie with that premise can only be so engaging. However, in The Monuments Men, George Clooney hits mostly high notes in his retelling of a surprisingly exciting and unconventional WWII mission. He combines a simple, straightforward narrative with a distinctly old-timey milieu to weave together an upbeat and wholly enjoyable experience, akin to a nattily arranged appetizer – barely scrapes the surface of content and value, but delivers its however vapid screenplay with a trademark George Clooney smirk.

The screenplay is a double-edged sword in The Monuments Men. While it smartly and earnestly approaches a textbook-style recounting of a did-you-know factoid from WWII, it’s sometimes just as boring to watch as the premise suggests. The morsels of action are small, fleeting, and somewhat dispensable, but they succeed in providing sufficient depth to the development of the characters (when Damon’s character accidentally steps on a land mine, the ensuing five minutes offer valuable highlights about the personalities of the “monuments men”). The sprinkled humor rarely fails, but never really makes enough of a statement to be memorable, either. Thankfully, a coating of nostalgic cinema charm and a definitive direction save this somewhat imbalanced screenplay.

The Monuments Men’s silver lining is its characters; they are all likable and good-humored. At first, Clooney makes a safe attempt when it comes to character development, but he is too timid to delve deep until the second half of the film. The brotherly chemistry between Bill Murray and Bob Balaban is sincere and witty. Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett also play off each other pleasantly. And Hugh Bonneville constructs a passionate and memorable character that is sure to steal your heart. However, George Clooney’s character comes across as aloof and self-entitled throwing an awkward wrench in the brotherhood he attempts to establish between these “monuments men.” We all know Clooney is a better actor than director. But in this film, his character feels more like a flat, cardboard George Clooney life-size cutout than anything.

Is The Monuments Men a bad film? Not at all. It’s highly improbable that you’ll hear its name anytime at the Grammy’s, but its welcoming atmosphere and intelligent appreciation of the real-life events as well as the value of classic art will make for a pleasant Sunday at the theatres. It maintains a lighthearted mood all throughout. You’ll come away feeling like something important really did happen, but you’ll be at a safe enough distance to not have to worry yourself over it, kind of like reading a dramatic, amateurishly written biography.