Amsterdam Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs
Ups...
5. Christian Bale's Excellent Performance
Without hesitation, Christian Bale easily takes MVP honours here, giving a characteristically excellent performance that outclasses everything else around him.
Though most of the cast fares well against Russell's script, it's Bale who proves most adept at modulating the wavering, uneven tone, managing to combine the tragic and comedic elements of his character into an entertaining whole.
It helps that Bale's Dr. Berendsen is an incredibly sympathetic and hard-done-by protagonist, yet given the off-kilter nature of the script, it can't have been easy for even an actor as incredible as Bale to get a firm handle on who he's playing.
And yet, Bale knocks it out of the park, as shouldn't really surprise anyone that's been following his career. Without his outstanding work, Amsterdam wouldn't be nearly as compelling.