Layered, vibrant and sometimes quite dark; a charming and charismatic classic film-noir.

Rating: 7/10 (26 February 2018)

There are some undertones of male dominance to the romance that don't necessarily work, especially considering that there's only one proper character involved, but the rest of the picture is a layered, vibrant and sometimes quite dark portrayal of a unique setting that's heightened when you remember that the flick itself was made long before it was clear that the Nazis it portrays weren't going to win the war. 'Casablanca (1942)' is a cynical but well-drawn piece with a gruff lead who's callously charismatic and charming in that straight-talking kind of way. It manages to make you care for quite a small story while highlighting that, no matter how insignificant it may actually be in the grand scheme of things, it means the world to the characters caught in the middle of it. 7/10