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Amsterdam
(20th Century Studios/Regency Enterprises)
By Lucas Allen
Marking his return to the screen since 2015’s “Joy,” writer/director David O. Russell takes audiences back in time to Hollywood’s Golden Age filmmaking with color and style for his new comedy “Amsterdam.” This latest whodunit made in the wake of “Knives Out” and the recent Kenneth Branagh Poirot series constructs a more complex murder mystery involving mysterious organizations, fields of medicine, and a troubling conspiracy. It’s also a who’s who of recognizable actors, helping to add to the film’s entertainment value.
In New York 1933, Dr. Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale) works hard to help his fellow World War I veterans, but is also living a not-so-loving marriage with his wife Beatrice (Andrea Riseborough). One day, he and his good friend, a lawyer named Harold (John David Washington), are tasked to perform an autopsy on their old general (Ed Begley Jr.) by his daughter Liz (Taylor Swift). After the autopsy performed by Irma (Zoe Saldana) revealed that the old man was poisoned, both Burt and Harold saw Liz being murdered by a mysterious goon (Timothy Olyphant), which gets them both framed. To clear their names, the two men must prove to two detectives (Matthias Schoenaerts and Alessandro Nivola) that they were set up.
When they visit the home of a rich philanthropist (Rami Malek) and his wife (Anya Taylor-Joy), they’re reunited with the free-spirit Valerie (Margot Robbie) from their post-World War I days in Amsterdam. Together, the three reunited friends pursue this mystery further with revelations including a plan of overthrowing the government and another war general (Robert De Niro) caught in the middle. Soon enough and with the help of secret agents (Michael Shannon and Mike Myers), our heroes will try to expose the evil behind this whole plot before things can seriously get worse.
From a filmmaking standpoint, the movie successfully harkens back to the classic film noir genre with its tongue firmly in-cheek. While not in black and white, it does provoke a sense of danger and intrigue while maintaining its humorous tone throughout. Character narration is also present with each of the three leads offering a funny eye-opening anecdote to any important moment. Like his other movies, Russell gifts this one with color, spectacle, and extravagance in one well-made package.
Though the film is great to look at, it sadly runs into issues with its script and overlong runtime. With too many scenes of characters talking, it could’ve been trimmed into a lighter pace mystery. The script also has an issue with dialogue and character beats with randomness in the writing that feels like an endless marathon of slapstick word salad. Interestingly, the many reveals in the climax makes this film feel like a prequel to Inglorious Basterds (especially with Myers playing a similar character) except it could’ve used an extra kick or punch that Tarantino likes to put into his films. All you get is a movie that could’ve been great, but instead falls hard in its stuffiness.
At least, the actors are having fun with the material they’re working with, delivering entertaining performances all around. Bale brings the right level of confidence and charisma to his character with Washington and Chris Rock each adding some great personality to their scenes. Robbie brings both beauty and fun as well as Taylor-Joy being hilarious. With Malek, he’s basically still playing the Bond villain though De Niro being De Niro is always welcome.
“Amsterdam” is simply a half-baked meal with the good ingredients plus some bad ones that ruined the whole thing. It’s good for a one-time viewing to watch an all-star cast of talented actors having too much fun on the set. However, don’t expect anything deep to take away something from this film.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for brief violence and bloody images)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 2.75 Stars (Out of Four)
