I came to see Amsterdam because of its star-studded cast. In that regard, I was not disappointed: Margot Robbie, John David Washington, and Christian Bale delivered charming and memorable performances as a group of friends thrown into a very treacherous yet wacky situation. And the supporting stars do just enough so not to overwhelm the movie with too much celebrity.

All good so far, right? Well, the big downside of this movie was its clunky storytelling. There were just too many characters and too much backstory to keep track of; the finale did not feel very satisfying; and the motifs were too confounded. Is this a story about the absurd terror of the World War era, the endurance of friendship, or all both? I guess you'll have to decide.

Overall, I still give this movie a 7 because it was visually elegant (especially in IMAX), the historical worldbuilding was fascinating, and I really did like the character performances. I recommend Amsterdam if you want a refreshing cinematic experience, but not if you want a conscise, thought-provoking story. It's more style over substance, but the style is quite stylish.