In Nazi- and Vichy-controlled Morocco, a Royal Air Force wing commander (Brad Pitt) and a French agent (Marion Cotillard) pose as a Parisian couple to infiltrate high society and assassinate the German ambassador. They wed after their performed love becomes real, and she returns with him to London. Together, and despite the ongoing blitzkrieg, they create a domestic idyll with their newborn daughter, but their content life is threatened when she falls under suspicion of spying for the Germans. Allied is never particularly complex or insightful in regard to its on-paper central theme—a variation on public duty versus private desire—but it succeeds greatly despite this. It is a movie which savors being a movie: sex in a car during a Saharan sandstorm; a fiery German plane barrelling out of the night sky toward a London suburb; two people in a room, each silent and closely guarding a secret, separated by a telephone the audience knows will loudly ring any second. Director Robert Zemeckis aims for old-fashioned, writ-large aural and visual majesty (the art direction and costume design are Powell-and-Pressburger-level luscious), and this extends to his use of his glamorous stars, who cut a striking figure together and share suitably sultry chemistry.

B+

This is a sleek and handsome production that is largely entertaining for 3/4 of its running time, but its rushed, underwhelming finale means the film sputters to a close. Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard are both sexy and camera pristine here, but only Cotillard really gives a good performance; Pitt seems oddly stilted, as if this was one of the first times he acted in front of a camera or something. B-

Pitt was distracted by his desire to bang Cotillard.

I had a good time with it. Marion Cotillard was fantastic, though her and Brad Pitt shared zero chemistry. I was entertained the entire movie.

B

Allied

Wonderful. Beautiful. Touching. Riveting. I cannot find fault with this masterpiece. Zemeckis, ever a technical wizard, almost literally paints a picture with the scenes in Casablanca. The cinematography is majestic. I adored the movement of story from one location to another, each unearthing the nostalgia inside me for each place. The beautiful English countryside, little dainty villages, wartime Britain etc. Occupied France; the fear, the secrecy, the whispering, reminding me of great WWII films like The Great Escape. And Casablanca; the sandy streets reminiscent of what I experienced with The Man Who Knew Too Much. Pitt and Cotillard are perfect. Cotillard exhibits such an air of confidence and possible mistrust, making her ideal to play Beausejour. While Pitt is the American hunk, though restrained and passionate. Beautiful chemistry, evocative of stereotypical wartime couples.

I expected good things but it even blew my hopes right out of the water. Zemeckis is back to his Cast Away-Romancing the Stone-A Christmas Carol best. Glad he's back. Allied is so far the best 2016 has to offer. I hope it wins awards, preferably Oscars, but I am skeptical. It certainly deserves it. Allied is tense and pulse-pounding, but also serene and concealed and emotionally moving. It is just a very impressive piece of film-making.

A

Better than The Angry Birds Movie? You don't say, Algren!

You really shouldn't comment on film taste when your favourite film this year is Moana.

Wow, this was a great experience. The film starts of a bit slow, ever good with nice scenery, but it's mostly French and it's takes some getting used to Pitt in the part. I also found how the romance started in the car in the desert almost too sudden. There's plenty of good set-up in Casablanca though, with the card scene and the party scene as highlights. The story really takes off when we get to England and once Pitt is informed of his wife's possible spy activity, he literally kicks the film in it's highest gear. It becomes a mesmerizing watch, following Pitt with doubt in his mind, tracking his thoughts as the plot develops. Zemeckis captivates both Cotillard and Pitt emotions beautifully, they both sink you in the film, feeling the tension and going form pulsating scene to the next. I was a bit taken out of it when Pitt tried to find out whether Cotillard could play the piano with him breaking into the cafe, found that a bit odd. However, overall the film feels like a classic through and through and I only wish it was longer. Allied is up there with the best films taking place during WII.

A

Moana has some of the best wide release reviews of the year. Everyone hates The Angry Birds Movie.

Good for you. You can be happy in the knowledge that you're average, and that you agree with the masses, and that you need such validation because you're weak and afraid to have opinions of your own.

I like plenty of poorly reviewed movies everyone hates.

So then you should understand. But you can't seem to let it die.

I was engaged for the most part, but this is easily one of the weakest WW2 films I have seen in a while. Cotillard is fine and the few action sequences there are are very well done,but Pitt is flat as can be in this which is surprising considering I thought he was really solid Fury/Basterds. I definitely expected more from Zemeckis.

It definitely isn't a typical war film, but I loved the way the film looks and the tension in the way the film is told. I thought Pitt couldn't have been better either. I've never felt ultra high on Zemeckis, but he always seems to put quality on the board that includes several excellent films with Allied among them.

It seems me and stuffp are allied on this one. Fuck the rest of you!

Allied starts out great, the mission and the romance were exciting and believable. However, the screenplay seemed to forget about the believability of the romance after they returned to London. I understand that the spy story had to be set up, but it would have only strengthened it by maintaining the believability of their relationship, since the plot remained logical. Great ending though. *B*

This is pretty dull so far.

Yeah wasn't a fan. It's not bad, but it's very slow for the first hour, and by then I'd stopped caring. Very cute baby though. And I agree Marion was much better than Brad.

C-

Rot in hell, zwack.

I saw this months ago and still think its wonderful.

What if it had been hideous?

I saw this movie months back. It is a gorgeous looking movie with good production values, but the romance is just not believable in the end that forms the core of the movie. I did like how it ended but it didn't leave a lasting impact as it should have.

6/10

I watched this again the other day. Especially relished the first part in Casablanca as I watched that with subs now and enjoyed it more. Love the journey the film undertakes and the ending scene at the airport gave me chills again. Greatly touching film and love the details that went into the production design.

And I watched the original version this time, opposed to the Chinese cinema release. I couldn't say I noticed anything really different, except for one cut. During the party, there's a couple kissing next to the stair case and Brad Pitt sends them outside, then he opens the door under the stair case and there's a couple making out out after which he sends them outside too. The Chinese version had a second or two cut here, where the woman under the stair case shows her boobs when turning around.