ALLIED ■ The darkness of knight
Writer Steven Knight is renowned for putting his characters through hell in the pursuit of compelling drama and rich character exploration. You only need look as far as EASTERN PROMISES or TV show PEAKY BLINDERS for evidence of this. Knight clearly believes that leading characters shine best when they’re put through hell, all for an audience’s dramatic entertainment, and ALLIED is no exception to this.
ALLIED plays out like a grim alternative take on MR. AND MRS. SMITH. During World War II, intelligence officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) is sent on an assassination mission with the aid of on-the-ground contact Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard). During the course of their husband-and-wife façade, the spies fall in love and follow their hearts, only to ultimately have their love and trust tested. To say anything more than that would delve into spoiler territory, and it’s worth avoiding the trailers (which are less considerate) if you want to watch how masterfully the twists and turns of the plot play out.
There was a time when expert director Robert Zemeckis avoided live-action movies, but his understanding of how to place human drama in front of his spectacular eye for scope and impactful action is most impressive in ALLIED. The slow-burn pace at which the story plays out will likely deter some viewers. That said, fans of well-executed methodical thrillers who enjoy fantastic dialogue and compelling characters will be too engrossed from start to finish to notice the confidence behind the Knight’s patient script. ALLIED is worth the price of admission for anyone looking for a compelling human drama where the three core elements – writer, director, and cast – are at the top of their game.
