Bad story-telling and a tad vain

Rating: 4/10 (28 June 2014)

Here's the problem with "Monuments Men": Bad script. A group of art experts are introduced but we really don't know anything about them. Then we are expected to care about them and empathize with their cause. The script doesn't flesh out their personalities enough.
For example, there's a scene where Bill Murray's character gets a recording from his daughter in which she sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Bob Balaban's character surprises him by playing it over the camp PA system. It should be a touching moment, but it isn't because we don't know anything about his daughter or their relationship. Instead it just seems forced.
Then there's a bit of US propaganda in the film. The US soldiers have to save the artworks not only from the Nazis but also from the Russians. According to the script, only the Americans seem fit to handle the art treasures of the world. Was it just a coincidence that the token British and French soldiers died while all the Americans made it out alive? I'm American and this even bothered me.
Sure, we're all in favor of protecting art from senseless destruction, but the film has a rather superior attitude about it. "Look at how noble we are - defying death to save paintings and statues." I'm not so sure the answer to the question "Were the lives lost worth it?" is as obvious as the film would have us believe.
So yeah, the film is a bit awkward in it's plotting and character development, and a bit misguided concerning the life-or-death value of art. A definite misstep for Clooney and company.