Writer-director David O. Russell (The Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle) presents Amsterdam, the story of three friends—Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale), Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie), and Harold Woodman (John David Washington)—who in 1933 are drawn into the mysterious murder of General Bill Meekins (Ed Begley Jr.) and its connection to a fascist plot to rule America. (134 min.)
Glen A move toward authoritarianism, a plan to overturn an election, a greedy power grab orchestrated by the über rich, a nation in the grasp of economic uncertainty—there’s something familiar afoot in David O. Russell’s visually dazzling and monumentally complicated comedic thriller that’s based on the tiniest shred of historical truth that just so happens to mirror our situation today. What the film’s actually about, to me anyway, is friendship, freedom, and maintaining honor in dishonorable company. Burt and Harold meet during the Great War when General Meekins, looking for a nonracist white officer to lead a platoon of Black men into the Meuse-Argonne offensive, puts the men together, forging a life-long bond. Both wounded, they end up in the care of Valerie, a nurse who enjoys making art out of the shrapnel she removes from soldiers’ bodies. They’re an odd trio that enjoys a few blissful months in free-spirited Amsterdam before eventually returning to the U.S. and all its hang-ups, rules, and responsibilities. Their bond will serve them well as they’re drawn into political intrigue.
Anna The friendship between the three is straight-up charming. While Harold seems to be the straight man of the group, Burt is quirky and strange, as is Valerie, but both are so easy to fall in love with. And fall in love they do: Harold and Valerie have an instant romantic spark, but instead of Burt becoming a third wheel, the couple makes a pact with him that wherever they go he goes. As dizzily romantic as it all sounds, life soon gets in the way, and while Harold and Burt still have each other, Valerie is lost in the wind. When the tragic death of Meekins’ daughter Liz (Taylor Swift) brings heat on the pair, they must hunt for a socialite to vouch for them. All the while a military veteran fundraiser event is being planned, and suddenly Valerie appears and joins up in an effort to clear their names. I thought this movie was so much fun. Bale and Robbie are especially brilliant. I can’t believe this isn’t rated higher with Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb. This is one I have no doubt I’ll watch again.
Glen Most of the complaints seem to concern the convoluted plot (I’d call it “intricate” and “nuanced”) and the slow pace (I’d call it “patient”). Yes, there’s a lot going on—racism, misogyny, antisemitism—and a lot of characters, but this is an incredible ensemble cast delivering amazing performances and managing to cover all the ambitious ideas Russell has packed into the story. Robbie goes all in as Valerie, whose wildly free spirit is cruelly tamped down by her rich family and in particular her brother Tom (Rami Malek) and sister-in-law Libby (Anya Taylor-Joy). Bale’s Burt Berendsen is a complicated man—a doctor who seeks to help damaged vets by repairing their outsides with protheses and insides with a dizzying array of pharmaceuticals he tests on himself. Burt, like Harold, is a deeply moral man, but his white skin, unlike Harold, allows him to embrace his unconventionality. These are fascinating characters deftly brought to life. Ignore the bad reviews and judge this one for yourself.
Anna It feels a little like the critics are crossing their arms and refusing to have fun. It’s supposed to be whimsical. Burt’s also trying to win back his wife, Beatrice (Andrea Riseborough), whose well-to-do family first sent Burt to war and now wants nothing to do with him. It may be that I have a soft spot for these actors. I find them all to be very good at what they do, and the supporting cast is also top notch. If the film suffers from a bit of silliness, I don’t mind it. For me, Amsterdam is just the right dose of good medicine that I need in a fun and funny film. Δ
Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Glen compiles listings. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Oct 13-23, 2022.