(Updated 07/15/2022)
Christian Bale as a wounded veteran with a glass eye; John David Washington as a conspiratorial soldier; and Margot Robbie as the nurse who joins them in a close-knit conspiracy. Take those three ingredients, add an acclaimed director, a rich ensemble cast, and a madcap tone, and you’ve got AMSTERDAM.
The first trailer for this “well, maybe not exactly a true story” movie is literally eye-popping, and not just because of Bale’s character’s condition. It’s absurd to say that literally everyone is in this movie, but as a parade of co-stars shows up in the trailer, it’s easy to get excited about this comedy-tinged crime story. It's probably easier to show it to you than to explain.
Check Out the First Amsterdam Trailer
Wow. There is a lot going on there!
The studio calls this "A fascinating and richly intricate tale that brilliantly weaves historical fact with fiction for a timely, cinematic experience" but mostly what we see is a collection of actors we love seeming to have the time of their lives.
The Rich Cast in Amsterdam
Let's take a deep breath and get to this list. You've got Bale, Robbie, and Washington to start with. They are joined by Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldaña, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Andrea Riseborough, Taylor Swift, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola, Rami Malek, and Robert De Niro. Whew!
Basically, take your pick as to who your favorite is. We love seeing De Niro play roles that have some comedy elements — same with Michael Shannon. Timothy Olyphant is great in virtually anything, as is Andrew Riseborough, aka the most talented chameleon currently working. And that's just for starters.
How Does This Cast End Up in This Wild Movie?
That's easy: Director David O. Russell. The filmmaker has worked with Christian Bale multiple times (AMERICAN HUSTLE and THE FIGHTER), and helped Bale win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his work in THE FIGHTER. In fact, Russell's movies have an unusual propensity to garner Oscar nominations and wins. SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK got Jennifer Lawrence her Oscar, while AMERICAN HUSTLE led to Oscar nominations for Bale, Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Amy Adams.
In short, even if the movie is an eccentric comedy, with Russell at the helm there's a good chance for Oscar gold. So if you're Margot Robbie, twice nominated, maybe this seems like a good bet — and a good time.
AMSTERDAM opens on October 7.
All images courtesy of 20th Century Studios.