Review of The Monuments Men (2014) by Tim B — 01 Jun 2014

From the hokey score that consistently undermines the plot's gravity to the "aww, golly" comic tone meant to lend an old school charm Monuments Men asks us not to take the performances too seriously while intermittently reminding us (via George Clooney monologue) to take the subject matter most seriously. That's a tall order and it could work if the action elicited excitement or the humor garnered laughs.

Instead the action lacks tension and the jokey comradery is so minor yet consistent you wonder why they bothered. It's clear that Clooney wants us to have a good time and wants to use humor to disarm any sense of pretension. This is not, despite the subject matter, Oscar-bait but a good time Hollywood retro-style ensemble heist that just so happens to involve one of the darkest chapters of the 20th century. But Clooney can't have his cake and eat it too. The slightly goofy interactions between the monuments men becomes self defeating when we're kept at arm's length and stop taking the characters very seriously. I would've preferred to gain a sense of who these men really were.

Despite the dull comic relief Clooney clearly has noble intentions and respect for the true story he wants to tell. As if to counter balance the attempts at humor he delivers solemn speechifying to remind us of the story's importance. But this reveals a lack of faith both in the narrative's ability to communicate its importance and in the audience's ability to grasp its weight.

Ultimately the real disappointment is that the true story being depicted deserves a more gripping narrative, more fully fleshed out characters, and taut direction demanding vulnerable authenticity rather than the alternately goofy nonchalance and overtly solemn salute to the monicker's heroes.