Amsterdam: A Star-Studded Mess That Pales In Comparison To Other O. Russell Films
In the 1930s, three friends witness a murder, are framed for it, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history.
Since 2010’s The Fighter, writer/director/producer David O. Russell has been inspired by real-life events that feature kooky, eccentric, larger-than-life characters. Amsterdam is the latest effort in that trend, and while it showcases Russell’s knack for finding incredible true stories that have gone overlooked or unexplored, it doesn’t quite have the crackle, charge, or charisma of Russell’s best work. It’s a film with noble intentions and its heart in the right place, but it gets a little too enamored by its cache of characters and winds up getting completely lost in the weeds of its convoluted conspiracy plot. It contains intelligent ideas and engages with topical themes, but its execution, from script through post, is off-kilter, awkward, and inconsistent.
Based on the 1933 U.S. conspiracy (known as the “Business Plot”) to supplant FDR with a dictator, the film follows a trio wartime friends who find themselves wrongfully accused of murder and embroiled in a much larger plot. It’s a period comedy that lightly dabbles in whodunit, noir, and political thriller, which reinforces its overindulgent tendencies. As incredible as the true story may be, it just doesn’t live up to the best the genre has to offer, and the stakes don’t have much of a squeeze. Although its strange story echoes aspect of current events, it becomes a film of basic principals; art, love, and democracy versus war, corruption, and hate.
At the center of this sprawling conspiracy is a story of compassion, connection, and camaraderie, which should shine through the performances of its three leads but surprisingly does not. While Bale, Washington, and Robbie give decent performances, they’re a little too sedated and absent of much chemistry. All three are pretty consistently eclipsed by the film’s many supporting characters (many of whom don’t really further the plot but add to the film’s hit-or-miss entertainment value). Andrea Riseborough, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rami Malek, and Robert De Niro are the major standouts here, and they each make the most of their limited screen time.
It’s not a completely joyless experience, but it’s certainly underwhelming, especially when compared to other David O. Russell joints. With pockets of isolated brilliance strewn about the semi-incoherent rubble, Amsterdam never quite equals the sum of its parts. The story got too big, and instead of scaling it back, O. Russell caved in to all his indulgences. The result is a mediocre effort that feels like three different films clumsily melded into one unwieldy jumble.
Recommendation: Amsterdam is lower-tier David O. Russell film, and while it has its moments, they’re far and few between. This amusing genre hybrid is best observed in the comforts of home. Wait to peep this one until it’s available for a modestly-priced rental or (better yet) for free.
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