"Amsterdam" is a comedy mystery film written and directed by David O. Russell ("The Fighter", "Silver Linings Playbook", "American Hustle"). Starring Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington, it makes great use of its ensemble cast in a story that should have amounted to something better.

While in France during World War I, Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale) strikes up a friendship with fellow soldier Harold Woodman (John David Washington) and nurse Valerie Bandenberg (Margot Robbie). After the war has ended, the trio decide to live together in Amsterdam until Burt returns home to New York to live with his wife instead. Harold and Valerie soon develop romantic feelings for each other, but the former eventually decides to join Burt in New York to obtain a law degree. Fifteen years later, Burt, who now works as a medical doctor, and Harold, who acts as his personal lawyer, are framed for the murder of a recently deceased senator's daughter, leading them to track down Valerie to help clear their names and uncover a plot to bring down the American government.

If there's one thing a filmmaker like David O. Russell should be best remembered for, it's his ability to work efficiently with an ensemble cast. This of course pertains to the fact that he is usually able to get the best possible performances out of all the actors he happens to be working with at any given time, which helps give his films staying power. Whether it's the main protagonist with various personality flaws or the minor background characters that steal the show in each scene, I always find myself walking away from Russell's films remembering at least one of them for how much they contributed to the overall entertainment value. Russell's latest film "Amsterdam" is no exception here, however it is unfortunately hampered by an underwhelming story that left me feeling rather unfulfilled.

Despite a decent setup, the film's plot never felt as impactful as it could have been. What I assume is supposed to be a murder mystery taking place in different time periods soon becomes overstuffed with character backstories and tangents that muddle the film's plot. For instance, the film starts off leading us to believe that Burt, Harold, and Valerie are going to be the main focus of the story, and while that remains true for the first act, the second third starts introducing too many new characters at once. Although each of these supporting characters play a significant role in the story, most of their scenes end up cluttering the narrative, which diminishes the original trio's overall importance. Because of this, it becomes tricky to both follow the story and remember everybody's character quirk at the same time. A good way of rectifying this would have been to introduce the supporting cast at more appropriate times throughout the film and lessen some of their contributions to the plot.

I do appreciate the effort David O. Russell went to capturing the atmosphere of the film's two time periods. At the beginning in 1918, we see post war Europe through the eyes of the three lead characters reflected via each of their experiences. Burt has lost an eye and Harold also has some serious injuries that require urgent medical attention. This is where the two meet Valerie, whose eccentric qualities help alleviate the pair's suffering, later resulting in her befriending them both. It was common during wartime for people to bond through dire situations and all the scenes involving moments like this were definitely among the film's strongest parts. Later on in 1933, we see how much the world has changed in fifteen years, with the threat of another world war on the horizon and a global financial depression taking its toll on the economy. It is here we are shown how much each of the three main characters have been shaped by the world around them, with Burt tending to the injuries of his war buddies, Harold assisting him with all the legal work, and the revelation as to Valerie's whereabouts. No matter which of these particular eras, Russell ensures that the audience feels properly immersed thanks to his attention-to-detail on both the visual style of that time and the events occurring around each of the characters.

As to be expected, the film's major selling point is in its three great lead characters, played expertly by Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington. Bale brings a level of credibility to the character of Burt by depicting him not just as a war veteran but also as a caring doctor. He is a man who has experienced some truly horrific things in the war but still has a moral sense of duty when caring for his patients as a doctor. Washington also does a great job playing off Bale as his best friend Harold, essentially acting as a voice of reason whenever Burt needs to clarify the legality of certain things. The two definitely felt like they were army buddies, with their mutual PTSD often highlighted as the reason why they remained close friends. To top it all off, Robbie adds an appropriate level of sass to the character of Valerie, whose quirky charm acts as the glue that holds the friendship of this trio together. I really enjoyed each time these three were onscreen together, which has me hoping to see more of them in a future David O. Russell film.

But it's not just the efforts of Bale, Robbie, and Washington that makes this film's cast so interesting. As weirdly implemented as they were, I was impressed at how all the supporting characters contributed at least one memorable moment to the story. These include the likes of Anya Taylor-Joy, Rami Malik, Zoe Saldana, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Robert De Niro, and even pop singer Taylor Swift. Nobody felt like they went to waste, even if some scenes left a lot to be desired. My favourite performances from the supporting cast were from the two Michaels - Myers and Shannon. Myers plays a British spy from MI6 while Shannon plays US Naval intelligence officer. Without giving too much away, these two almost rivalled Bale and Washington for the fun friendship qualities they displayed, especially during the film's final act.

Given its great cast of actors and solid premise, "Amsterdam" felt like a missed opportunity to have been so much more. If David O. Russell had placed better emphasis on focusing the film's narrative, then I'd almost be willing to consider it an underrated gem. Still, for what it's worth, the film remains mostly entertaining thanks to the solid chemistry of its three leads and the odd fun scene involving the other supporting characters. In the end, only long time fans of Russell's work will enjoy this film the most while others will see little else in its appeal.

I rate it 6.5/10.