“Allied” Is A Romance Disguised As A War Movie

Watching Allied was like watching a Hallmark card with drama and war tanks in the surrounding area. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen Brad Pitt fighting in a war movie not involving Nazi soldiers, to be frank.

I also don’t recall when was the last time I’ve seen a wartime movie filled with more romance and bliss than incendiary action. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Allied is polite and ethical yet it gives out doses of violence here and there with love being the final spin.

Pitt plays a Canadian wing commander (Max Vatan) who is involved in a secretive operation with his pretend wife, a French resistance fighter named Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard). The couple finds themselves in a war mission and something deeper than they could’ve ever imagined. Without a doubt, Allied is elegant, fancy and a suitable for a post Thanksgiving treat with your significant other.

The film can also work well for war film junkies as well. They’ll just have to endure the tweeting birds and flying hearts scattered throughout the plot. Pitt is pretty much a one man wrecking crew, fighting good versus evil in the war ridden era of the 1940s. The rest of the movie keeps the audience second guessing as some betrayal is suspected among the couple.

Pitt does what he does best: being competent, intelligent and of course invincible in finding out the truth about his “wife,” who is accused of treason and espionage. Cotillard couldn’t have played the role of the classy housewife any better. Many real life army wives could have probably related to her role, with the expectation that she wears a gun hidden underneath her dress.

Cotillard was sexy, dangerous, tricky and lovable throughout Allied, perfect for the film’s nostalgic and suspenseful armor. I admit, “Allied” was not my usual cup of tea. I expected more torture, explosions and consistent action. Ironically, Allied reminds me of a throwback version of Dough Liman’s 2005 Mr. & Mrs. Smith, starring Pitt and former wife Angelina Jolie.

I admired the scenery of Casablanca, where the couple meets, as it really ties the story together. The faux couple who—after a successful mission in France— find themselves reacquainted in London, where a real marriage is the final product of their relationship. But a major hypocrisy is also discovered.  

Allied will open your eyes to see what living was like in a time where you could find yourself throwing a get together with party crashers in the shapes of warplanes tumbling into your living room.

The movie is truthful in reminding us how much we should appreciate the country we live in, one where we don’t have to worry about where the next kaboom will land. Similarly, taking our time while showering without the trepidation of an invasion is pretty far fetched (at least currently speaking). This movie will reek of bullets, bombs, secrecy and plain old fashioned romance but it’s doable.

However, so far it appears to be a failure among audiences as the film was released Nov. 23 on an estimated budget of $85 million but scored only $13 million in its opening weekend. It was mainly filmed in the United States and the United Kingdom.