Today’s quick review: The Monuments Men. As the tide turns in World War II, Frank Stokes (George Clooney) convinces the U.S. Army to assemble a team of art experts to recover, catalog, and protect the priceless works of art stolen by the Nazis. His team includes painting expert James Granger (Matt Damon), architect Richard Campbell (Bill Murray), sculptor Walter Garfield (John Goodman), and a handful of other men who fight their own small part of the war.
The Monuments Men is a war comedy with dramatic elements that chronicles the recovery of thousands of pieces of art from German stockpiles. The Monuments Men features an ensemble cast, some charming moments, and an interesting historical premise. However, its lack of a clear vision, its subdued comedy, and its misuse of its cast keep it from living up to its full potential. The result is an amusing but unfocused movie that gets caught between comedy and drama.
The Monuments Men’s main failing is its lack of an overarching plot. The story follows Stokes’ men around Europe as they search for Nazi stashes of art. Their adventures are largely isolated incidents, with only the trails of a few particular pieces to tie them together. As such, The Monuments Men has little in the way of an emotional arc. Individual segments are quaint, somber, or hopeful, but the characters are rarely driving the action.
The Monuments Men also mishandles its comedy. The humor consists of wry banter between friends, just enough to keep the tone light without making the movie overtly funny. Between its restrained humor, a couple of dramatic events, and its historical premise and themes, The Monuments Men has a hard time staking out a clear identity for itself. Every time it starts to make progress in one direction, it shifts to another.
Watch The Monuments Men if you are looking for a somewhat lighter war movie. The individual scenes are still entertaining enough to be worthwhile, and the movie’s cast remains impressive. However, The Monuments Men lacks the vision to weave its scraps into a compelling story or to make the most of the actors it has at its disposal. Skip it if you are looking for an energetic comedy or a heartfelt war drama.
6.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for decent writing and acting let down by a poor plot and an unclear tone.