Amsterdam Reviews Roundup – All Talk No Show?

David O. Russell’s new film Amsterdam first trailer was released. For those of you not aware with Russell’s work, he has been on that directorial chair for a long time. He has helmed films like Silver Linings Playbook that got Jennifer Lawrence her Oscar, American Hustle, Joy, The Fighter that Christian Bale his Oscar in a supporting role. The director’s filmography is genuinely filled with some gems. In his new film i.e., Amsterdam he has a star studded cast. Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Rami Malek, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Michael Shannon, Zoey Saldana, Michael B. Jordan and Robert De Niro. The film will also have a cameo by Taylor Swift. The film is a historical drama set in the 1930s.

The premise of the film that has been made aware to us is, “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.” This is too vague, I agree but well this is the extent of information we have and the trailer too doesn’t give us much idea about it. The film was recently shown to a bunch of elite critics and well their thoughts on the film are out. Their are well… extreme to the point where you’ll question your excitement about the film. So, without any further ado let’s take a look at the comments associated with the film.

Amsterdam Reviews Roundup – A Messy but Enjoyable Ride?

A film like this is extremely rare in Hollywood these days. A period piece with almost all A-list actors and a good budget from an acclaimed director. So naturally any cinephile would be excited for this film for different reasons. Mine was because it has been directed by David O. Russell and it stars Bale, Robbie, Taylor-Joy and De Niro. Of course I’d be lying is didn’t mention I’m looking forward to the cameo by Taylor Swift. I’d almost placed this film in Top 10 Best films of the year list but after reading the first impressions of critics regarding the I’m almost heartbroken. I wanted this film to be good but well it what it is.

The reviews are sort of mixed but the debate is not whether the film good or bad. The debate is whether the film is enjoyable or not. Almost everyone agrees this is a messy and confused film which A-list actors. The reviews praise the performances from our beloved actors but that was accepted. The film faulters at the script level no kind of performance or direction can change that. The film at the time of writing has an IMDb score of 5.8/10 and it is deemed Rotten by Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 33% on the Tomatoemeter. However, apart from the scores let’s focus on the comments that the film is generating.

David Rooney
Hollywood Reporter
“Can any film be called satisfying when the storytelling is so convoluted it takes an hour or more to settle on the kind of story it wants to tell, let alone a cohesive tone in which to tell it?”

Peter Debruge
Variety
“Even though this oddball ensemble boasts intelligent ideas and a smorgasbord of against-type performances from A-list names, “Amsterdam” amounts to less than the sum of its parts.”

Robert Abele
TheWrap
“No amount of star wattage can lift this flat, unfunny genre-fluid whatsit from its performative stumbling toward contemporary relevance.”

Tessa Smith
Mama’s Geeky
“There is far too much going on and even the incredibly talented line up of actors cannot save it. It is shame because there is something good there, underneath it all, but it is impossible to find.”
Original Score: 1/5

James Mottram
South China Morning Post
“Amsterdam has a charming, shaggy-dog feel – a crazed story for a crazy world.”
Original Score: 4/5

Nate Adams
“Considering the talent assembled, it’s a wonder how empty and near-sighted “Amsterdam” is. Maybe they read a different script than what eventually made it to the screen.”
Original Score: C-

Nick Schager
The Daily Beast
“This madcap period piece is part murder mystery, part anti-fascist conspiracy thriller, and all-around disaster, devoid of tone, wit, or any semblance of rhythm.”

Robbie Collin
Daily Telegraph (UK)
“Amsterdam might encompass 15 years of history, straddle two continents and throw in innumerable subplots, but it becomes increasingly hard to shake the sense that you’re watching a very thin idea twiddling its thumbs.”
Original Score: 2/5

Tim Grierson
Screen International
“Although stuffed with ambition and the occasionally arresting moment, this 1930s mystery flaunts a freewheeling spirit that far outpaces its convoluted story and dramatically thin protagonists.”

Joey Magidson
Awards Radar
“Amsterdam is a star-studded and messy affair that provides a decent amount of enjoyment.”
Original Score: 3/4

Roger Friedman
Showbiz 411
“Russell, as I said, has made many really great films. His heart is always in the right place…Somehow this massive carnival of ideas got away from him.”
Original Score: 2/4

Rodrigo Perez
The Playlist
“An epic, sprawling and ambitious fable, it’s like a whimsical fairytale about the insidiousness of creeping authoritarianism and stopping a fascistic plot against America.”
Original Score: B

Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
“There are some very good performances, and Washington has taken another step towards A-lister greatness.”
Original Score: 3/5

David Ehrlich
indieWire
“A wildly over-cranked plea to “protect kindness” that rings every bit as forced and hollow as you might expect from someone with such a pronounced reputation for killing it himself.”
Original Score: C-

Pete Hammond
Deadline Hollywood Daily
“A must-see for smart adult audiences.”

Check out the full Trailer for Amsterdam on YouTube:

Amsterdam is slated to release in theatres on 4th November 2022.

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