Movie Review: Amsterdam

 Movie Number 35 of 2022

Film: Amsterdam

Theatre: Hoyts Victoria Gardens

Stars: 4

Reading the RottenTomatoes.com review if this film I was a bit concerned if I'd like this or not. The reviews were saying things along the line of "stellar cast but far too over the top," and "Too convoluted for its own good." 

Despite this, I went along, choosing this over the also maligned Don't Worry Darling. 

Needless to say, I really enjoyed this. It's quirky. It's glorious to look at. I like both of these things

So, the plot, which is, as other reviews will tell you, rather twisty plot. In a nutshell, in the 1930s, three friends witness a murder, are framed for it, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history.

Burt Berendson (Christian Bale) is a doctor, who spends his days looking after World War One veterans as the medical board threaten to strike him off is called to do a clandestine autopsy on a General by his old army buddy, Harold Woodman (John David Washington). The General's daughter, Irma (Taylor Swift) thinks something is going on, but before anything can happen, she's taken out in rather dramatic fashion. And this is the jumping off point for a strange journey back to the trenches, and then Amsterdam, where they meet Valerie (Margot Robbie), a strange nurse with artistic urges. 

And looking at this small plot breakdown, I can see why many think this is a hot mess. 

But that's what I loved about this. 

The writer and director, David O Russell is somebody I've always found a bit hit and miss. Silver Linings Playbook, The Hustler and The Fighter were excellent. Joy was awful. 

The think is, I really enjoyed this. It's visually stunning, disturbing in many ways as Berendson's patients are mostly veterans who have been mutilated by the war. Some of this leads to the gallows humour seen throughout the film.

The cast of thousands is also great - Rami Malik as a shady rich businessman, Chris Rock as Harold's best mate, Milton. Robert De Nero as a General known to the trio who's probably going to get them out of trouble. Mike Myers and Michael Shannon as two undercover agents who you don't know whether to trust. And Zoe Soldana as an autopsy nurse who becomes involved in all of this.

Thinking about this, it's all a hot mess, but a very good, rather funny, slightly thought-provoking film about friendship, and love, and family and doing the right thing. 

I'll put a see this at your own risk caveat on this review. Parts of this are a bit confronting - the images of the mutilated soldiers and the autopsy scenes are not going to be everybody's cup of tea - and it does deserve the MA+ rating. 

Yet I found this a really entertaining, rather thought-provoking film, which had its seed from an obscure event in America's history. It's too hard to describe this in a review. 

As I said, see this at your own risk. I loved it, you may not. 

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