374 - Amsterdam

·32 min·3 clips

Why hasn't David O. Russell's history of on-set abuse and a sexual misdemeanor with his niece derailed his career in the age of cancel culture?

The episode begins with hosts Mike and Jose introducing their review of 'Amsterdam', the new David O. Russell film. They immediately delve into Russell's controversial reputation, noting his history of on-set outbursts and abuse, including an incident with Lily Tomlin and a 2011 sexual misdemeanor with his transgender niece. The hosts discuss how Russell's difficult personality has been tolerated in the film industry due to his artistic vision. They then shift to the film itself, revealing its massive budget of $80-90 million and poor box-office performance, making only $13 million in the US. 'Amsterdam' features an all-star cast including Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, and Taylor Swift. The plot is a comic caper loosely based on the real 1933 Business Plot, a conspiracy to install a dictator in the US. The hosts debate the film's tone and humor, with one finding it mildly amusing and the other not responding to its quirky style. They praise Christian Bale's comic performance and the film's visual flair, including costume and makeup. However, they criticize the convoluted plot, overwritten script, and lack of emotional depth. The film's political message about fascism and business interests is deemed obvious and banal. The hosts compare 'Amsterdam' to works by Woody Allen and Wes Anderson, noting a harsher edge in Russell's film. They discuss the ending, which references 'Casablanca' and involves a breakup of the three main friends, with one host moved by it and the other not. The episode concludes with a split verdict: one host enjoyed it as a pleasant watch with great actors, while the other thought it was not very good but still worth seeing once. They recommend it for fans of the cast but note its flaws in plotting and emotional engagement.

As heard by us

Mike and Jose weigh Amsterdam's political resonance against its uneven emotional pull.

Amsterdam lands here as a movie with political urgency that is easier to respect than to feel. Mike and Jose follow its concern for veterans left behind after war, its anxiety about populist agitation, and the way those ideas brush against January 6, but they keep returning to…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want to know whether Amsterdam's political echoes can survive a movie that keeps asking for more feeling than it earns.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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