AMSTERDAM

US, 2022, 134 minutes, Colour.

Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Alessandro Nivola, Andrea Risborough, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Mathias Schoenaerts, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Taylor Swift, Timothy Olyphant, Zoe Saldana, Rami Malik, Robert De Niro. Ed Begley Jr, Beth Grant.

Directed by David O. Russell.

This is an and ensemble murder mystery, murder investigation does not quite do justice to the overall impact of Amsterdam.

This film does enhance the Dutch capital, because significant action takes place there after World War I, the bonding of the three central characters, providing a memory of a wonderful place and time.

And, what enhances the whole film is the fact that there are 15 topline actors in the cast, the pleasure of watching the three friends from World War I into the US of the 1930s, a doctor, Burt, with Christian Bale in one of his best roles, always excellent. And there is Margot Robbie, Valerie, an energetic and dynamic screen presence, even when her character is unwell and unsteady on her feet. And, continuing the tradition, John David Washington as the lawyer, Howard. But the very enjoyable aspect of the cast is our surprise when each the stars turns up, the situations, the expert performances. (Though it is a bit disconcerting to find Chris Rock and his repartee in this context, to see Mathias Schoenaerts as a New York detective, Taylor Swift as a murder victim.)

And it is a film written and directed by David O.Russell, who has shown quite some flair over the decades in a variety of inventive films, remembering I Heart Huckabee is and the ensemble crime thriller, American Hustle, as well as Silver Linings playbook. (Quite a number of the cast have appeared in more than one Russell film.)

In the 1930s, during the Depression, the lawyer is employed by the daughter of a deceased American general who seems to have been poisoned. The lawyer and his doctor friend bonded during World War I (some war flashbacks, focusing on racism and the American troops, Burt befriending Harry, breaking through prejudice, but both severely wounded, Burt losing an eye and subsequently having a glass substitute, but finding a very sympathetic nurse, Valerie, and then making a pact, friends forever.)

As Harry and Burt investigate, their client is murdered in the streets – and they are accused of the killing, one detective a client of Burt’s for pain relief, the other a pin headed racist pain in the neck! And there are social complications, Burt’s in-laws being New York aristocracy and class-conscious, impacting on their daughter, Beatrice (Andrea Reiser) who cannot live with Burt!

And, both during the war, and in 1933, the CIA and MI5 are not far away (in the forms of Michael Shannon and Mike Myers).

Part of the enjoyment of Amsterdam is the detection process, the puzzle about why the General was murdered, what are the war connections, the political connections. And, then by chance, following the last word of the murdered daughter, they visit a house of a tycoon and his relentless wife (Rami Malik and Anya Taylor Joy) who should be in the house but Valerie who had disappeared from their lives 12 years earlier. They are concerned about her health.

The best clue seems to be to try to contact another General, a supporter of the veterans. And who better to play him, a Hollywood icon nearing 80, Robert De Niro?

This kind of murder investigation has to come to an end when everybody’s together – and this is a creative occasion, Burt’s annual celebration for the veterans, concert, dinner, many of the veterans he has helped singing and performing. But, there are sinister forces pressurising the General, industry chiefs who are profiting by factories in Munich, who admire the fascist leaders of Europe, and have contempt for Roosevelt.

Finger-pointing, unmasking – and that handy invention, the camera able to surreptitiously film subversive meetings. Interesting to see the theme of fascism in the US in the 1930s.

As it says that the opening of the film: a lot of this really happened.

1. American history, World War I and the aftermath, the depression and the New Deal, conspiracy theories, fascism?
2. Murder mystery, victims, investigation, detection, conspiracies, unmasking?
3. The title, the episodes in Amsterdam, the three friends, the aftermath of the war, freedom and friendship?
4. The opening in 1933, Burt and Howard, doctor and lawyer, their long friendship? The request to investigate the death of the former general, his daughter, the discussions, their agreement, the assassin, her being killed in the street, the two examining the body, the accusations, their being framed, the police?
5. The flashbacks to World War I, Burt and his wealthy wife, her snobbery, her parents, disapproval, sending Burt to the war? The experience of war, the instructions, action, injuries, his losing his? Making friends with the African-Americans, the issues of racism in the forces, the characters, Chris Rock and his comic style, Howard and his seriousness?
6. The convalescence, the hospital, Valerie, her background, friendship, the period of convalescence, Burt, meeting the two agents, British and American security, the company producing eyes, the gift of the eye? Going to Amsterdam, Howard and his love for Valerie? Her sudden disappearance? Their return to the US?
7. The police and their investigation, Burt and his treatment of the veterans, with their health, the police chief and his reliance on Burt, his arrogant assistant, presuming guilt, the continuing with their investigation?
8. Burt performing the autopsy on the murdered man, his assistant and her expertise, the attraction between the two?
9. Burt, the tentative relationship with his wife, her snobbish parents, their not living together, her ambitions – and their being tested at the concert with her interest in meeting celebrities rather than being with Burt?
10. The murdered man, the military connection, the dead woman and the mention of Voze, the two going to visit the house, meeting the arrogant wife, the husband, industrialist, and finding Valerie, that she was his sister? Her physical health, mental health? The fact that she had invited the dead woman to ask Howard to investigate?
11. The three reuniting their friendship, Howard and his loving devotion to Valerie, her health, overcoming difficulties despite momentary collapse? Howard and Valerie in time together?
12. Burt, his further investigations? The lead with the general? The attempt to visit him? His wife being protective? The connection with the veterans, the General to give a speech, his receiving them? The surfacing of the conspiracy, discovery of the secret organisation, sympathy with Germany, factories in Munich…?
13. Howard and Valerie seeing the assassin, following him, discovering the secret organisation?
14. The general agreeing to give the speech, the industrialist promising donations, Burt in the tradition of organising the concert, the range of veterans who sang and played music? The general meeting with the industrialists, including Voze, then making clear their ideology and plans?
15. The General giving his own speech, the reactions, the fascist infiltration, the assassin and shots?
16. The exposure of the plot, Voze and his imperious wife, the assassin manifesting himself, arrested?
17. The General and his testifying to Congress about the conspiracy?
18. Burt and his practice, with his assistant? Howard and Valerie unable to live in the US, leaving to live abroad?
19. The final credits, the actual photo and voice of the general, combined with that of Robert De Niro and the general in the film?