MovieChat Forums > Amsterdam (2022) Discussion > Saw a Screening

Saw a Screening

posted 2 years ago by GingerbreadPimp (1767)
6 replies | jump to latest

It sucks. Very boring and predictable.

I normally like most of David O'Russells films so I was really surprised by how dull and messy this one was. The first hour in particular is very tough to watch as the plot is all over the play, characters are introduced with littel development, and the editing is really rough. It really takes almost an hour into the film before it really becomes apparant what the movie is even really about because the pacing is so terrible. Even more surprisng is that the performances aren't either. Christian Bale is alright, but his character is pretty one note. John David Washington, Margot Robbie, Chris Rock, De Niro all felt like they were just phoning it in for a paycheck and had no chemistry at all. Taylor Swift in particular is really bad, but she's only in the movie for the first 10 minutes. One the story finally kicks in, it's not very interesting and pretty predictable for being a "crazy true story" type film and in the end it tries to have this whole message about "Choose Love and Friendship over Greed & Hate" that feels totally unearned and was laughably bad.

If I had to rate this, I'd give it a 3/10. Really had to beleive after making so many great movies O'Russell directed a piece of shit like this.

I'm happy to answer any other questions.

[–] SteveG (1370) 2 years ago

Can you spoil it for me please?

[–] nufsaid16 (685) 2 years ago

I completely disagree with you---this didn't feel or even look like a Hollywood film at all---which is why I liked it--and it was not predictable or boring. You are so wrong on this one---it wasn't predictable at all---I couldn't tell where the hell it was going to go at all---which is what made it more fun. Sounds like you just weren't in the mood to appreciate this film, and I've liked a couple of Russell's films too over the years.

[–] Daggerboard (581) a year ago

Yeah, I can understand why some might not enjoy it, but I thought its quirkiness was charming. This one is a gem.

[–] azgump (43) a year ago

I tend to agree with the OP. This movie wasn't very memorable. My husband fell asleep within the first 30 minutes and I felt bad that I dragged him with me to see it. It was all over the place, it wasn't captivating or worthy of pondering on after it was over. It just disappeared from my mind. I couldn't even tell you what it was about. Forgettable to me.

[–] agentalbert (3131) 10 months ago

I'm trying to remember one good thing about it, and I can't. I really like a lot of David O. Russell's work, but this was a complete dud. I gave it a 4/10.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (17850) 3 months ago

6/10. I think there's a solid hundred minute movie in this. Almost like a A-list version of Clue (1985) perhaps. But they stretched it out and tried to elevate the material to be something profound when it came off as pretentious. It is weird that they based so much off the real life events surrounding the Business Plot but didn't just make it the Business Plot.
A problem I have with most of David O. Russell's work. I didn't hate it as much as I expected to and I actually liked the three main leads.