Easy Allied

Out just in time for Thanksgiving is Mr & Mrs Smith: World War II edition....or more specifically a film called Allied. A lot has been made out of Robert Zemeckis's latest film which pairs Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard...including speculations that the pairing of those two actors was the cause for ending the famous Brangelina relationship (of which Pitt was previously a part of.) But speculations about that aside, the real question is, is the film any good and is it worth your time?

Allied follows the tale of a couple of spies who met and fell in love during their stay at (wouldn't you know it?) Casablanca during World War II. Surviving basically a suicide mission, the two bond and decide once their mission is over that the only natural thing to do would be to get hitched. Fast forward a baby and a couple years later and the couple find themselves in Britain where Brad's character is faced with a stunning possibility: that perhaps his loving wife has been a spy for the Nazis all along. His task given by his superiors is to test her, and if she fails their test he must execute her himself or be charged with high treason. What's a man to do? The answer, of course, is for him to do some investigating to find out what the truth really is.

First and foremost, the movie looks absolutely gorgeous (and that includes the always stunning Marion Cotillard and dapper looking Pitt,) but unfortunately looks aren't everything! While it's cinematography, costume design, and general production values are top notch, the whole thing somehow just rings a little hollow. Really the best way to describe it is sadly bland and forgettable...which is a shame because the advertising portrayed something a lot more promising. As for Pitt and Cotillard, Marion is as reliable as ever, but Pitt seems to sleepwalk through his role. Perhaps your curiosity lies in seeing with your own eyes the chemistry Cotillard and Pitt have, but honestly, their connection seemed shallow and superficial....I didn't really buy it. That said, the results of the film as a whole are certainly watchable. It's entertaining but you just can't help but think it could have been more. All in all, Allied is a missed opportunity. It plays it too safe to either have fun with it and too shallow to be truly memorable. RATING: 6/10