Allied
06/12/16 Filed in: Cinema
Today's film was Allied, with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. Brad's break up with Angelina and rumours about an affair with Ms Cotillard have sort of overshadowed this film, and reviews have certainly been mixed. Peter Bradshaw at the Guardian was scathing about the lack of chemistry between them, although I suppose it depends on how you define chemistry. As operatives working behind enemy lines at the beginning of the film you would expect a certain amount of distrust between them, but the relationship seemed to warm up nicely as things progressed.
After a daring assassination in German occupied Casablanca the pair, Max Vatan and Marianne Beauséjour return to London to marry, after awaiting the outcome of a positive vetting for Marianne. Everything is domestic bliss until Max is summoned to meet an intelligence officer, whereupon he is told that his wife may not in fact be who he thinks she is. In fact she may be working for the Germans. Max will not accept this and proceeds to ignore orders in his quest to prove her innocence. This unfortunately doesn't have the outcome that he was hoping for, but it doesn't diminish his feelings for her.
After a daring assassination in German occupied Casablanca the pair, Max Vatan and Marianne Beauséjour return to London to marry, after awaiting the outcome of a positive vetting for Marianne. Everything is domestic bliss until Max is summoned to meet an intelligence officer, whereupon he is told that his wife may not in fact be who he thinks she is. In fact she may be working for the Germans. Max will not accept this and proceeds to ignore orders in his quest to prove her innocence. This unfortunately doesn't have the outcome that he was hoping for, but it doesn't diminish his feelings for her.
The reviews have been lacklustre, with the Guardian slating it, and Rotten Tomatoes feeling that it doesn't deliver on its promise. Personally I found it quite watchable and while the on-screen chemistry may not be as memorable as in Mr & Mrs Smith, which incidentally was less well reviewed on Rotten Tomatoes, I can't agree that it was that seriously lacking. As for the action, it was probably a bit far-fetched at times, with Max flitting over to Dieppe to question a man who knew Marianne Beauséjour, wiping out a few Germans while there, and then flitting back again for breakfast. However, I think with the Angelina controversy in the background this is a film that may quietly be forgotten.