The movie Amsterdam, released in 2022, follows a line of unpredictability and chaos. With a nervous camera, a fast-paced text and cast direction that brings out neuroses, everything contributes to a narrative that springs into action regardless of the case. 

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Review of the movie Amsterdam
Image: Reproduction

Movie Amsterdam

Director David O. Russell follows a line of unpredictability and chaos in the production of Amsterdam. The producer's validation as an author began with the release of "The Winner", a 2010 film nominated for seven Oscars. 

The newest release, Amsterdam, tries to put a faster gear in the course of the movie, which shows a sense of urgency on the part of the director. The movie follows the characters of Christian Bale and John David Washington. 

The soldiers are saved by Margot Robbie's character and, a decade later, they are involved in the death of a senator in 1930. There is a certain urgency in the presentation of the characters at the beginning, especially Bale's doctor. This makes viewers believe in the twists and turns and the characterization of the period. 

Anyway, as the production progresses, it shows a lot of inspiration in historical facts, making its anti-fascist purpose very clear. In this sense, the movie Amsterdam settles for the virtues of its own discourse. 

Released in 2022 in the United States of America, the film's general rating is 16 years old. Amsterdam is 126 minutes long. Directed and scripted by David O. Russell, the film received a regular rating from the main film critics. 

Inspired by real events

The plot follows the trio Christian Bale, John David Washington and Margot Robbie, inspired by real events, however bizarre. At first, the two are veterans of the First World War, who began a friendship on the battlefield. 

While the friends are wounded, with shrapnel lodged in their bodies, the pair meet the nurse played by Margot. The trio then experience the aftermath of the war in the Dutch capital. A decade later, the group becomes involved in the death of an American senator. 

Circumstances lead to the end of the trio, as in the case of doctor Burt (Bale) and lawyer Harold (Washington) returning to the United States and leaving Valerie (Margot) behind. In the aftermath, the friends are involved in a murder, where the father and daughter are victims of a secret society. 

When the friends are accused of committing such a crime, they meet their old friend again and everything changes. With an air of "murder mystery", the characters cross each other's paths and this is the cue to take the main road. 

Even though the movie has so many talented pieces on the board, Amsterdam makes a mistake in trying to create any connection, either between the characters or with the viewers. The director is very talented at balancing different genres, as he did in "Cheating", "The Good Side of Life" and more. 

However, as incredible as the aforementioned works are, this time the director seems to have lost his way. The film gets some aspects right, such as the narratives that take place during production, but the fragments lose their luster when they are tied together. 

The scenes are too fast to register any kind of empathy, as well as exhausting the viewers. The dialogues are dragged out and uninspired, making the audience wait in vain for any kind of direction. 

Fluidity 

The editing of the movie doesn't seem to have any kind of fluidity, with the production slowly breaking down into antics imposed by the characters. At many points in the story, it simply doesn't make much sense and all the abundance between the characters is completely disposable. 

The character played by Chris Rock, for example, only serves to appear and make a few jokes about racism or white supremacy. The lack of commitment that Russell shows during the production leads the audience to boredom and exhaustion. 

The dialogues are long, heavy and bad. What's more, the scenes are disjointed and the narrative seems to go nowhere. After an hour or so of production, the film seems to show progression, especially when Robert De Niro's character appears in the plot. 

The whole act revolves around a fascist conspiracy, with a script that delves into the deepest layer of satire and war.