'Amsterdam' Review: A Bloated, Star-Studded Misfire
Director David O. Russell has returned with another star-studded affair with Amsterdam, a bloated, convoluted misfire of a whodunnit that wastes its incredible cast.
Daivd O. Russell’s unique style of filmmaking is back on full display in Amsterdam, a whodunnit that revolves around a trio of close-knit friends, played by Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington, who manage to slowly uncover one of the most shocking plots in American history after witnessing a murder. Joining the ensemble is a bevy of a talent that includes the likes of Rami Malek, Anya Taylor-Joy, Andrea Riseborough, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Zoe Saldana, Taylor Swift, Timothy Olyphant, and Robert De Niro. Despite the incredibly impressive pedigree in front of the camera, O. Russell’s whodunnit falls completely flat, wasting this amazing cast in the process with subpar material.
The saving grace of this film is its main trio of Bale, Robbie, and Washington, who have palpable chemistry together, their decades-long friendship and bond feeling completely lived-in and fleshed out, especially in their quieter moments together. The three bring out the best in one another, but Bale is the clear standout amongst the cast. His comedic timing, delivery, and physical choices with the character not only enhance what’s on the page, but the film overall any time he’s front and center. He continues to be one of the most versatile, magnetic actors working today. Some notable standouts in the supporting cast include Taylor-Joy and Malek, who clearly understood the assignment and match Bale’s frequency on screen. As for the rest of this star-studded cast, they’re given very little to do and fail to resonate in any way.
The production design is also stellar, completely enveloping the viewer and immersing the audience in the 1930s setting with ease and flare to spare. This is an atmosphere that feels fully inviting and alive, unlike the central mystery that unfolds within it. Russell’s signature camera work is also one of the film’s highlights, giving each scene a refreshing point of view and artistic touch that was certainly needed. He has a knack for making the audience feel like a fly on the wall as his stories play out, whether it be here or in his far superior films like Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle.
Unfortunately, for a whodunnit, the mystery this trio is wrapped up in is surprisingly convoluted and uninteresting. What starts out as a charming, off-beat murder mystery slowly, very slowly, evolves into a far bigger plot that becomes less and less engrossing as it unfurls. In short, the film is dull and lifeless, lacking any narrative momentum or urgency even when considerable twists and turns begin to rear their ugly heads. It’s a film that thinks its wonderfully clever and subversive when its big reveals and revelations can be predicted from miles away.
The film also struggles maintaining a consistent tone, which becomes very frustrating from scene to scene. One minute it wants to be a breezy, entertaining whodunnit and the next it wants to be a somber reflection of the war and those treated harshly or unfairly during it. The way the film endlessly vacillates between humor and drama feels awkward at best, never finding the delicate balance between the two it clearly is striving for. It’s easy to see the vision Russell had for this story, cast, and characters, but it never comes together the way it could and should.
Amsterdam is one of the bigger disappointments in quite some time, fully wasting a spectacular cast and intriguing story that could’ve been woven into something special. After a seven year hiatus, Russell seems rusty, unable to give this story the narrative and creative electricity it needs to be as memorable as his most acclaimed work. While the prestigious cast may make this one tempting to go out and see, audiences should save their money for far better cinematic fare.