Amsterdam is a thoroughly eccentric film that centers on an equally eccentric character portrayed by Christian Bale. True to form, Bale undergoes an extreme physical transformation to bring his character to life.

The movie unfolds as a murder mystery with strong political overtones. As stated at the beginning, the story is based on an actual historical incident -- the so-called Business Plot of 1933 (Google it). However, all the characters and events in Amsterdam are completely fictitious, with the exception of MacGuire, who really did exist and really did die under peculiar circumstances in 1935. (The character played by Robert DeNiro is based on General Smedley Butler, whereas DeNiro's character is called General Dillenbeck.)

I found the movie entertaining from start to finish. I was never bored or confused by the narrative, and I was suitably impressed by the all-star cast. One detail was especially amusing -- the nonsense songs that the three main characters sing.

I didn't like the photography, though. There were lots of very low camera angles, many shots were intentionally overexposed, and the color palette was dominated by shades of red, orange, and brown. If the intention was to be grotesque and unsettling, it worked.

I'm fascinated by the sharp divide in these user reviews. Many IMDb commenters say Amsterdam was a masterpiece, while just as many say it was total garbage. I disagree with both extremes. I liked the movie well enough, but I can't say I loved anything about it. Watch it if you like zany excursions into the early 20th century.