Movie #2168 .........................."Amsterdam" (movie theatre)

 Movie #2168 "Amsterdam" (movie theatre)  Well, I have seen many of David O. Russell films, and so I was ready for some off-the-wall kind of story  --- like his "Silver Linings Playbook," "American Hustle" "Joy, "  and "The Fighter."  But all of these I have liked for one reason or another --- this one, not as much.  Oh, it has what the others have in a very capable cast --- and it also has beautifully dressed locations and sets, and it has been set in some recent past --- although this one is more distant than the others --- and that, to me, is the best part of the film --- the history of the time period it takes place in -- that time in the 1930s where we see a rise of Nazism and the effect on the American public.  There's no doubt the characters are quirky like in his other films, but this one stands out in its very slow pacing.....the others don't really have that --- it's as if the audience is thought  not to be  up to par with what is happening,  I felt that esp. when the narrator stops action toward the end and explains everything that happened ---- there were no surprises to me, and I think of myself as John Q. Public when watching the film, so I felt at that time that the film was doing too much explaining --- in fact, the film is about 20 minutes too long to me. However,  I think you can say  that even though this has a historical focus , it speaks rather loudly about what is happening in our society today --- Russell esp. lets us know this when in the credits at the end of the film, he juxtaposes Robert Deniro's speech (as a powerful businessman who sees the problem of an authoritarian approach to government and therefore gives a big persuasive speech to the country)  with the real person he is based on --- they use the same exact words.  So the director wants us to know that he is trying to speak truth here and we should be attentive.  I'd give this a 3.5 and my recommendation is that it isn't for everyone at all, but if you are a Russell fan or not, I'd be interested to hear what you have to say.  We went to see it thinking it would take place part of the time in Amsterdam and we could see a bit of the city  (since we are taking a trip there next March/April) -- but there's very little of that, for sure, and what is shown is dated because of the historical factor.

"AMSTERDAM"   2 hours and 14 minutes    2022           rated R (for language)

In the 1930s, three friends witness a murder, are framed for it, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history.

Director:  David O. Russell

Writer:  David O. Russell

Actors:  Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington