Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
A romantic thriller set in World War II Morocco and Europe, Allied is a gripping combination of period drama and suspense that plays with the viewer’s mind as it pits duty against love and family. Fundamentally, it revolves around two questions: Whom do you trust? What will you choose?
The film follows Max Vatan (Brad Pitt), a Canadian intelligence officer, who is dispatched to Casablanca, Morocco, to assassinate the German ambassador with the aid of a French Resistance fighter, Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard). After successfully completing the mission, Max and Marianne escape to London where they marry and have a daughter. Their happiness does not last, however, as British authorities suspect Marianne for being a German spy. Max, outraged and frantic to prove his wife’s innocence, searches for clues to the truth of her identity, forced to choose between duty and love.
From entrancing shots of the Essaouira desert and charming Casablanca rooftops to the refinements of rainy London, Allied enchants with superbly crafted scenes. The desert and its stillness starkly contrast scenes of the British night sky illuminated by the German blitz. Careful reconstruction of the mid-20th-century interiors provides a harmonious background for the film’s fast-paced plot, while contemporary fashion adds to its visual splendor. Marianne’s ball gown, by costume designer Joanna Johnston, stuns with the elegance of its lines, and makes Cotillard truly “look goddess-like,” as Johnston puts it.
Such play with words enters the dialogue of the film, as well, such as when Marianne, responding to Max’s compliment about her competence and beauty, says: “Being good at this kind of work is not very beautiful.” The use of symbolism is pronounced in the framing of the characters’ marriage with two car rides — each time, Marianne looks back to see if they were followed but discovers no pursuit.
Another one of Allied’s important strengths is Alan Silvestri’s soundtrack. The main theme, mysterious and hypnotizing, marries Western canon to Middle Eastern motifs and draws the viewer into the film. The soundtrack may haunt one for days before one recognizes passages that recall scores by Alexandre Desplat, Dario Marianelli and James Horner. Silvestri demonstrates considerable versatility in his compositions for Allied that range from sorrowful melodies to credible imitations of mid-20th-century dance music.
With its Moroccan setting, Allied pays homage to the 1942 masterpiece, Casablanca, which also combines the exotic setting and harrowing atmosphere of the Nazi regime as a background to a romantic drama. Allied also recalls Cotillard’s earlier work, Inception, where Edith Piaf’s “Je ne regrette rien” precedes the characters’ awakening from different stages of sleep. In Allied, “La Marseillaise,” the French national anthem, plays a crucial role in the plot and Max’s “awakening”. Allied’s intertextuality opens an additional layer to the enjoyment of the film, which seems pleasantly familiar while retaining its capacity to surprise. The echoes of past productions provide viewers with puzzles in the form of references they have to trace and encourages them to pay closer attention to the film, making it more memorable.
Despite its undeniable merits, the film is not without flaws. Pitt’s undeniable talent and charm do little to alleviate the blow dealt to the carefully crafted atmosphere by his French accent (notwithstanding the actor’s best efforts, he would be shot for being an American spy the first time he opened his mouth). The film is also somewhat rushed, especially in the beginning, a weakness that is brought on by the plot’s ambitious length. The entirety of Max and Marianne’s escape from Morocco, the wedding and the birth of their daughter are compressed into some 10 minutes. However, the movie’s quick pace makes for especially effective moments of tension. A particularly nerve-wracking scene of Marianne waiting for her husband, not knowing if he will return alive, lasts almost a full minute.
Allied captivates the audience by engaging inherently important issues: the power of the political system over individuals and its blatant disregard for alleviating circumstances. The film’s dynamic plot, beautiful setting and harmonic soundtrack commend Allied to viewers’ attention. If the film teaches us anything, it is that trust and communication are key to a happy marriage.
Grade: A-
