MOVIE REVIEW: AMSTERDAM

 

Set in the '30s, it follows three friends who witness a murder, become suspects themselves, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history.

Director: David O. Russell

Cast: Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldaña, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Andrea Riseborough, Taylor Swift, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola, Rami Malek, Robert De Niro

Release Date: October 7, 2022

Genre: Comedy, Drama, History

Rated R for brief violence and bloody images.

Runtime: 2h 14m

Review:

David O. Russell's star studded Amsterdam is a strange amalgam of a convoluted storyline that's nearly offset by energetic turns from its cast.  The film itself is impeccably shot with a glossy look that gives everything an air of Norman Rockwell nostalgia brought to life.  The visuals keep things interesting while the plot's expansive and overly busy story threads start unfurling.  This is the type of film that's in no hurry to get anywhere as it relishes in setting up scene and sequences which allow his cast to shine.   Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington make up the primary trio carrying the film and each of them brings a specific sort of energy to their characters.  Christian Bale's Burt is a collection of idiosyncrasies in a hunched over, emaciated, battle scarred body.  It’s a showy role, the type Bale loves sinking his teeth in and does so with his usual gusto.  John David Washington's character is the opposite side of the coin, and he delivers a turn that's confidently cool and authentic. Margot Robbie brings a nice mix of bohemian and manic energy which is an old hat to her by this point in her career.  All three make their characters incredibly likable which makes the film's unfocused story more palpable and enjoyable.  The supporting cast is a cavalcade of well known actors gleefully chewing up scenery as an assortment of quirky characters.  Amsterdam is the type of film that allows actors to dig into their characters, unfortunately the story doesn't meet the challenge leaving it an uneven experience where the performances are far better than the mystery laid out.  

B-