Plot
In 1942, an intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.
Release Year: 2016
Rating: 7.2/10 (584 voted)
Critic's Score: 62/100
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Brad Pitt, Vincent Ebrahim, Xavier De Guillebon
Storyline
In 1942, an intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.
Cast: Brad Pitt -
Max Vatan
Vincent Ebrahim -
Driver in Desert
Xavier De Guillebon -
Claude
Marion Cotillard -
Marianne Beauséjour
Camille Cottin -
Monique
Michael McKell -
German Officer at Anfa Café
Vincent Latorre -
Vincent
August Diehl -
Hobar
Fleur Poad -
Hobar's Secretary
Miryam Hayward -
Moroccan Girl
Iselle Rifat -
Moroccan Girl
Aysha Kanayo -
Moroccan Girl
Anton Blake -
German Ambassador
Daniel Betts -
George Kavanagh
Sally Messham -
Margaret
Trivia: Brad Pitt and August Diehl also appeared in Inglourious Basterds (2009). See more »
Quotes:
User Review
Author:
Rating: 6/10
Greetings again from the darkness. Every writer, director and actor
dreams of being part of the next Casablanca … a timeless movie beloved
by so many. It's rare to see such a blatant homage to that classic, but
director Robert Zemekis (Oscar winner for Forrest Gump) and writer
Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises) deliver their
version with an identical setting, nearly identical costumes, and the
re-use of a song ("La Marseillaise") which played such a crucial role.
Spy movies typically fall into one of three categories: action
(Bourne), flashy/stylish (Bond), or detailed and twisty (Tinker Tailor
Soldier Spy). This one has offers a dose of each blended with some
romance and a vital "is she or isn't she" plot. The "she" in that last
part is French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour played by Marion
Cotillard. Her introduction here is a thing of beauty, as she floats
across the room thrilled to be reuniting with her husband Max Vatan. Of
course the catch is that Max is really a Canadian Agent and their
marriage is a cover for their mission to assassinate a key Nazi. Yes,
it's 1942 in Morocco.
The two agents work well together and it's no surprise when this
escalates to a real romance between two beautiful and secretive people.
It seems only natural that after killing Nazi's and making love in a
car during a ferocious sandstorm that the next steps would be marriage,
a move to London, and having a kid. It's at this point where viewers
will be divided. Those loving the action-spy approach will find the
London segment slows the movie to a crawl. Those who prefer
intelligence gathering and intrigue may very well enjoy the second half
more.
What if your assignment was to kill your beloved wife if she were
deemed to be a double-agent? Max finds himself in this predicament, and
since no one ever says what they mean in the community of spies, he
isn't sure if the evidence is legit or if it's really a game to test
his own loyalty. This second half loses sight of the larger picture of
war, and narrows the focus on whether Max can prove the innocence of
Marianne … of course without letting her know he knows something – or
might know something.
Marion Cotillard is stellar in her role. She flashes a warm and
beautiful smile that expertly masks her true persona. The nuance and
subtlety of her performance is quite impressive. Mr. Pitt does a nice
job as the desperate husband hiding his desperation, but his role
doesn't require the intricacies of hers. Supporting work comes via
Jared Harris, Lizzy Caplan, August Diehl, Marion Bailey, Simon
McBurney, and Matthew Goode.
The Zemekis team is all in fine form here: Cinematographer Don Burgess
captures the feel of the era, Composer Alan Silvestri never tries to
overpower a scene, and Costume Designer Joanna Johnston is likely
headed for an Oscar nomination. For a spy movie, the story is actually
pretty simple and the tension is never over-bearing like we might
expect. While watching the performance of Ms. Cotillard, keep in mind
her most telling line of dialogue: "I keep the emotions real." It's a
strategy that is a bit unusual in her world. How effective it is will
be determined by the end of the movie.
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