Amsterdam is a 2022 period mystery film directed, written, and produced by David O. Russell and starring Christian Bale (who also produced), Margot Robbie, and John David Washington alongside an ensemble supporting cast including 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. The story is based on the Business Plot, a 1933 political conspiracy in the United States, and follows three friends—a doctor, a nurse, and a lawyer—who reunite and seek to uncover the act following the mysterious murder of a retired U.S. general.
Filmed in Los Angeles from January to March 2021, it is Russell's first film since Joy (2015). Amsterdam was released in the United States on October 7, 2022, by 20th Century Studios. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who criticized Russell's screenplay and direction for its over-ambition and tonal inconsistency, but praised the production design and cast performances. It was also a box-office bomb, with estimated losses for the studio of over $100 million.
Plot
In 1918, Burt Berendsen was sent by his estranged wife's parents to fight in World War I. While stationed in France, Burt befriends African-American soldier Harold Woodman. After sustaining injuries in battle, Burt and Harold are nursed back to health by Valerie Bandenberg, an eccentric nurse who makes art out of shrapnel removed from the soldiers, whom they befriend as well. After the war, the three live together in Amsterdam until Burt returns to his wife and Harold leaves after ending a brief relationship with Valerie.
Fifteen years later, Burt has opened his medical practice catering to veterans of the war, and remains friends with Harold, who is now a lawyer. However, they have not heard from Valerie since they left Amsterdam. Harold asks Burt to perform an autopsy on Bill Meekins, their old commander, at the behest of Meekins' daughter Elizabeth, who believes that he was murdered. Burt performs the autopsy with the help of medical examiner, Irma St. Clair. The autopsy reveals a considerable amount of poison in Meekins' stomach. Burt and Harold meet with Elizabeth to talk about the autopsy results, though she is suddenly killed when a hitman pushes her into traffic. Burt and Harold are framed for her death, and flee as the police arrive.
Burt and Harold attempt to find out who told Elizabeth to hire them in order to clear their names. This leads them to wealthy textile heir, Tom Voze, his patronizing wife Libby, and Tom’s sister, Valerie. They learn that Valerie was the one who convinced Elizabeth to hire them, knowing that they were trustworthy. Valerie is under constant supervision by Tom and Libby, who claim that she suffers from a nerve disease and epilepsy. It is later revealed that they were poisoning Valerie to keep her compliant. Burt and Harold talk with Tom, who suggests they talk to General Gil Dillenbeck, a famous and decorated veteran, and is friends with Meekins.
While Burt attempts to contact the General, Irma visits him at his medical practice and reveals that she was attacked and her wrist broken while trying to bring him the autopsy report and the attacker took the paper from her. After resetting her wrist, Burt and Irma share a kiss. Meanwhile, Harold and Valerie spend the day at her home, where they notice the hitman, Tarim Milfax, has been watching the house. They follow him to a forced sterilization clinic owned by a mysterious organization known as the "Committee of the Five". After a fight with Milfax, Harold and Valerie reunite with Burt. Valerie takes them to the Waldorf Astoria New York, where they meet Paul Canterbury and Henry Norcross, Valerie's benefactors from Amsterdam who are secretly spies in the intelligence community. Paul and Henry explain that the Committee of the Five is a cabal in the US with ties to Germany planning to overthrow the American government and that Dillenbeck can help foil their plot.