In 1942, a Canadian 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.
At the height of World War II, in turbulent 1942, the fearless Wing Commander, Max Vatan, lands on the desert dunes of Morocco to meet with the Parisian member of the French Resistance, Marianne Beauséjour. After an attempt to eliminate an elusive target during a suicide mission in the heart of Casablanca, Max and Marianne flee to England intent on starting a family soon; however, heavy clouds of distrust and suspicion will burden their already difficult relationship, when Max receives a shocking call from the Secret Service Division. In disbelief--with a terrible task in his hands, and crushed under a devastating dilemma--Max must summon up the courage to seek for answers in the perilous streets of a bombarded London, regardless of the outcome. Now, amid duty and love, who shall live and who shall die?Written by
Nick Riganas
The remains of the German bomber in the park is that of a He-177. See more »
Goofs
The music being played in the background at the ambassador's party in Casablanca is the second movement of Haydn's Emperor Quartet, which contains the melody of the Austro-Hungarian National Hymn of 1797, which was to become the German National Hymn in 1922. Playing the Haydn quartet would not have been regarded inappropriate in terms of protocol as it existed 125 years before being used for the 'Deutschland Über Alles' hymn. The Haydn composition is not a 'lounge version' of the hymn, as the hymn was derived from the quartet. See more »
You may have seen the preview for this movie; I would say that that does not fully prepare you for the actual movie. It is a movie that will appeal to adults, both men and women, and it includes romance, sacrifice, and plenty of action and spy hi jinks.
A very good script, with some great plot turns, and superior acting from both Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt in complex, challenging roles. My favorite bit: when they make love in a car in the Moroccan desert with a sandstorm going on all around them. It is a good metaphor for their love story in the midst of the great chaos of World War II. And it has a realistic feel, for the most part--for the sets in Casablanca (some good homage to the Bogart film, I would say also some Brando homage in parts of Pitt's performance), and the time back in the UK (second favorite bit is during a party in London). One does get the sense of the all-out effort demanded to win the war, something we do well to commemorate in these days when the last veterans of that most epic event in history are at death's door.
It is a Zemeckis film, from the school of film-making of Steven Spielberg, and that means your emotions are subject to the whim and whimsy of the director's manipulation. Sometimes you are aware of that, but oftentimes you are not, and that makes it better (than, say, Forrest Gump).
I will take the movie as a whole and suggest Oscar nominations for original screenplay and both leading roles.
86 of 127 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
You may have seen the preview for this movie; I would say that that does not fully prepare you for the actual movie. It is a movie that will appeal to adults, both men and women, and it includes romance, sacrifice, and plenty of action and spy hi jinks.
A very good script, with some great plot turns, and superior acting from both Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt in complex, challenging roles. My favorite bit: when they make love in a car in the Moroccan desert with a sandstorm going on all around them. It is a good metaphor for their love story in the midst of the great chaos of World War II. And it has a realistic feel, for the most part--for the sets in Casablanca (some good homage to the Bogart film, I would say also some Brando homage in parts of Pitt's performance), and the time back in the UK (second favorite bit is during a party in London). One does get the sense of the all-out effort demanded to win the war, something we do well to commemorate in these days when the last veterans of that most epic event in history are at death's door.
It is a Zemeckis film, from the school of film-making of Steven Spielberg, and that means your emotions are subject to the whim and whimsy of the director's manipulation. Sometimes you are aware of that, but oftentimes you are not, and that makes it better (than, say, Forrest Gump).
I will take the movie as a whole and suggest Oscar nominations for original screenplay and both leading roles.