ALLIED

In Casablanca 1942, Canadian intelligence officer Max (Brad Pitt) is partnered with French resistance fighter Marianne (Marion Cotillard) for a mission. While posing as husband and wife, the pair complete their mission and allow business to cross over into pleasure, as they fall in love. When Max is stationed in London, Marion is granted passage as well and the couple marry and start a happy life and family - until eventually Marion’s loyalty is questioned. Max becomes riddled with doubt and sets out to uncover the truth before time runs out.

Spy movies, betrayal, secret identities, cover marriages - it's all been done. In fact, most of it’s on TV these days - bigger arcs, more time to explore the layers. The audacity that anyone can come along thinking they can do anything new or better is huge and often a failure. Zemeckis has done one such disservice. Think ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ except not funny, less action and less sex. Boring! Oh okay, there’s one sex scene that takes place in a car, in the middle of a sand storm. And with it, the stupid-factor is introduced.

Pitt, a terrific actor, phones it in. Hindsight could possibly blame his personal issues behind the scenes. Let's hope so, and not that this is a turn for the worse. As for Cotillard, well she isn’t given much to do here except look sultry and forlorn. Sure she succeeds, but is that really something you want to watch?

With an unsatisfactory ending, middle and only a slightly above-average beginning, there are better ways to spend your Boxing Day. If you’re looking for that sweeping grand war romantic drama, you won’t find it here.