Allied

I almost didn't get to see Allied this past Tuesday. The projector failed to start on time. It was a half-hour before it got to work. It skipped past the trailers to the main attraction. The main attraction was much better than the maintenance that day.

The film gets going quickly as Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) parachutes into Morocco. Max is a Canadian Intelligence Officer stationed in England. His mission, that he's already accepted, is to assassinate the German Ambassador (Anton Blake). French Resistance fighter Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard) is to go undercover as his wife. Sparks legitimately fly between them. So after they do the deed, they go back to London to be husband and wife for real.

One year later, Max and Marianne survive the blitz with their infant daughter, Anna. Max's commanding officer Frank Heslop (Jared Harris) and an S.O.E. Official (Simon McBurney) drop a bombshell. "Marianne" might be a German spy posing as a deceased resistance fighter. Max is ordered to help them rat her out and kill her himself if she is a spy. They'll hang them both if he gets in their way. So what now?

Director Robert Zemeckis works from a script by Steven Knight. The first act is about Max and Marianne getting together in love and war. It builds up gradually and nicely to the assassination scene. The second act throws the audience for a loop; not just about Marianne, but about the ambassador. We don't get much of a reason to question Marianne until the ending. There's a neighbor who is an actual Nazi spy; I think I missed the foreshadowing. The climax resolves the dilemma with a tough third option.

The stars are the best thing about it. Pitt and Cotillard's chemistry makes the slow pace of the Morocco part worth it. They go from acquaintances to allies to lovers in a nice span. And we feel every bit of it. Jared Harris as Heslop is a tough but caring C/O, especially in the climax. Among the supporting cast, Thierry Frémont and Matthew Goode stand out as soldiers pivotal to the mystery.

There's plenty of good work behind the scenes. Everyone looks good thanks to costume designer Joanna Johnston. Its depiction of the Blitz is realized by strong visual effects, cinematographer Don Burgess, the production design and sound design. The editors' best moment is when they turn cheers to terror as a shotdown Nazi plane screeches to our leads' neighborhood. A fierce sandstorm provides another technical workout. Alan Silvestri's score is recognizably him but worth a listen.

Allied is a pretty fine World War II epic. There's plenty of great acting and technicals for its 124 minutes. The writing isn't perfect but it's still good. It's one of those films that's worth seeing on the big screen. Hopefully, you won't have issues at your screening.

And I hope to have no issues on any more screenings.