--- title: "Amsterdam: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/amsterdam/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/amsterdam" critics_score: 48 critics_reviews: 25 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Amsterdam (2022): what the critics said Critics' score 48 from 25 reviews: 4 positive, 9 mixed, 12 negative. The consensus on Amsterdam leans negative, though praise repeatedly returns to the cast and period visual craft. The reviews find energy and occasional amusement in the performances, with Christian Bale’s eccentricity and John David Washington’s restraint drawing attention. Costumes, production design and cinematography also earn approval, even from critics unconvinced by the storytelling. Several find the central friendship, particularly during the Amsterdam interlude, more engaging than the surrounding murder mystery. The main complaints concern an overcomplicated conspiracy plot, exhausting dialogue and awkward shifts between comedy and political seriousness. The spread is wide: some find enough warmth and wit to forgive the disorder, while the harshest reviews see talented performers wasted. The Evening Standard finds the mystery gripping and its politics unsettlingly relevant. Slant Magazine also dissents from the negative lean, valuing the intimate relationships and moments of art, dancing and song above the conspiracy. ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Rating 4/5. 7 October 2022. The critic finds the sprawling murder mystery gripping despite minor quibbles. She singles out Christian Bale’s performance, alongside the witty ensemble and the plot’s unsettling relevance. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/amsterdam-movie-review-christian-bale-john-david-washington-margot-robbie-robert-de-niro-b1030392.html) ## Slant Magazine — Ryan Swen Rating 3/4. 4 October 2022. Swen finds the film an earnest, sentimental picaresque whose conspiracy plot matters less than its human relationships. He especially praises the intimate friendship and the privileged moments of art, dancing, and song. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/amsterdam-review-david-o-russell-christian-bale-margot-robbie/) ## The AV Club — Jordan Hoffman Rating B-. 4 October 2022. Hoffman finds the film entertaining but shambolic, with its ambitious political themes and tonal shifts ultimately falling short. He praises the energetic performances and terrific look, while criticizing the unwieldy conspiracy and uneven tone. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/amsterdam-review-christian-bale-margot-robbie-orussell-1849597622) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 6 October 2022. The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No praise or criticism can be confirmed from the provided text. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/06/movies/amsterdam-review-christian-bale.html) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 61/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2022. The accessible standfirst describes the film as an overstuffed period murder mystery. The review text is behind a paywall, so its fuller verdict and specific praise or complaints are unavailable. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/amsterdam-review/5174708.article) ## Radio Times — Patrick Cremona Rating 3/5. Cremona finds the film uneven, praising its amusing moments and the friendship at its heart. The murder plot, by contrast, is muddled and overcomplicated. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-43th00/amsterdam/) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 3/5. 6 October 2022. The critic finds the film messy but buoyed by good vibes. They single out its outsized performances and goofy exuberance. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/amsterdam-2022) ## Total Film — Jamie Graham Rating 3/5. 4 October 2022. The critic finds Amsterdam a rocky, sometimes patience-testing ride that is ultimately worth taking. They praise its charismatic cast, sumptuous production design and rich cinematography. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/amsterdam-review/) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating C-. 27 September 2022. Ehrlich finds the film’s plea for kindness forced and hollow, with its frantic plotting and overstuffed dialogue undermining the story. He singles out the central trio’s bond as an undeniable spark, especially during the film’s brief Amsterdam interlude. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/amsterdam-review-david-o-russell-1234766602/) ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 7 October 2022. Ebiri finds the film entertaining when its unpredictable comic energy is at its best, but says the freewheeling style becomes exhausting. He praises the cast’s spirited performances, especially the contrast between Christian Bale’s antics and John David Washington’s straight-man role. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/amsterdam-movie-review-intoxicating-exhausting.html) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2022. Bradshaw finds the film a starry, often amusing muddle whose heavy historical subject matter works against its screwball energy. He singles out John David Washington’s restrained performance as the strongest of the leads. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/28/amsterdam-review-david-o-russell-john-david-washington-christian-bale-margot-robbie) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2022. Rooney finds the film an entertaining but exhausting jumble whose storytelling takes too long to find focus. He praises Robert De Niro’s anchoring performance and the film’s polished visual craftsmanship. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/amsterdam-christian-bale-margot-robbie-david-o-russell-1235227331/) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 27 September 2022. Debruge finds the overstuffed film less than the sum of its parts, though its anti-establishment message gives it wit and originality. He praises the period production design and the film’s political reminder about the Business Plot. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/amsterdam-review-david-o-russell-christian-bale-margot-robbie-1235384878/) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 7 October 2022. Lane finds the caper’s tone erratic and its comedy unsuccessful, though its milder moments work better. He singles out the art made from spent bullets and other materials as the film’s strongest feature. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/10/17/the-persuasive-potency-of-decision-to-leave) ## Empire — Ian Freer Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 October 2022. Freer finds the film an intermittently enjoyable but tonally uneasy disappointment that never comes together. He praises its visual craft and score, while faulting its overcomplicated, poorly unified storytelling. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/amsterdam/) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2022. Chang finds the film messy and only fitfully successful, with its historical farce and political themes lacking sustained comic verve or conviction. He praises the central performances and the friendship’s brief, freewheeling Amsterdam interlude. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-10-05/amsterdam-review-bale-robbie-russell) ## Sight and Sound — BFI Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 7 October 2022. The review finds the film smug, toothless and unsuccessful at recreating mid-century comedy. It particularly faults the film’s ahistorical treatment of American fascism and its unexamined corporate power. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/amsterdam-limp-self-congratulatory-affair) ## NME Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). The review finds the film hopeful and elegantly made, despite its crowded, star-heavy cast. It especially praises the costumes and the dreamy elegance of the film’s presentation. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/amsterdam-review-cast-taylor-swift-christian-bale-margot-robbie-3324782) ## Paste — Aurora Amidon Rating 6.7/10. 4 October 2022. Amidon finds the film’s plot confusing and its tonal shifts frustrating, concluding that its strong performances cannot rescue the story. She particularly praises Margot Robbie’s comic timing and magnetic screen presence. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/david-o-russell/amsterdam-review) ## Den of Geek — Don Kaye Rating 2 out of 5. 7 October 2022. Kaye finds the film tedious and frequently disinterested, with its convoluted story and tonal shifts undermining its ambitions. He praises the cast’s ability to sustain interest, though he says the ensemble is often left to flounder. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/amsterdam-review-christian-bale-cant-save-you/) ## /Film — Jeff Ewing Rating 4/10. 4 October 2022. Ewing finds the film undercooked, tonally muddled, and less than the sum of its parts. He praises the cast’s performances and Lubezki’s cinematography, while criticizing the contrived plot and inconsistent tone. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1037442/amsterdam-review-enjoyable-performances-cant-save-david-o-russells-undercooked-movie/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 7 October 2022. Wilkinson finds the film an overcomplicated, laboured mess that never coheres into a satisfying whole. She praises its immaculate make-up, costuming and period cinematography, while noting the supporting cast’s amusing moments. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/amsterdam-2022-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## Consequence — Mary Siroky Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 October 2022. Siroky finds the conspiracy tale hollow and underwhelming despite its star-studded cast. She faults the weak chemistry between Robbie and Washington and Valerie’s Manic Pixie Dream Girl characterization. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2022/10/amsterdam-review-david-o-russell/) ## Collider — Chase Hutchinson Rating F. 4 October 2022. The critic calls the film a maddening, exhausting failure that wastes its cast. He particularly faults the haphazard editing, which makes its already weak dialogue scenes even harder to endure. [Read the review](https://collider.com/amsterdam-review-margot-robbie-david-o-russell-taylor-swift/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 27 September 2022. The critic finds the film a sloppy, dull misfire that wastes its talented cast. They single out Christian Bale’s oddball performance and his scenes with Zoe Saldana as occasional bright spots. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/amsterdam-review-david-o-russell-christian-bale-margot-robbie-john-david-washington/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/amsterdam.md