Amsterdam Disaster Begs the Question: Is John David Washington a Lead Actor Calibre?
On the 7th of October, the star-studded Amsterdam hit the theatres.
Even though the film opened in third in the top 5, previously promising grounds were not as fruitful as David O. Russell might have wanted them to be. Lacking in the wallet the first weekend, Amsterdam might never catch up to pay off at the box office. According to Deadline, Amsterdam stands to lose about $100 million.
But how come such a huge project with stars all over can become a disaster? For starters, Amsterdam's cost goes way up due to the A-listers cast, and the first weekend at theaters is not so promising in terms of investors getting their money back. Then there is the fact the movie industry has seen its better days and is still affected by lasting for the past couple of years pandemic. And some say that one of the starring actor's performances was far from perfect.
The conversation about nepotism is very much alive and thriving, and it seems to put John David Washington in the row. Many have been comparing the actor's on-screen presence, charisma, and performance with that of his very well-known father, saying that he "isn't good enough."
Viewers suggest that it is the connection to the influential father, that is leading to the "average" and "not yet ready for the lead" actor to book himself in the great films. Some are just puzzled since not all nepo-babies can brag about such a career.
Being compared to a famous and talented parent is always hard, and it is hard not to get overshadowed by legends. But Washington Junior seems to be raising questions from the viewers in regard to his abilities at the moment overall. Many bring up his previous roles in great projects like Monster And Men, Malcolm & Marie, Beckett and Nolan's Tenet, only to compare JDW's lead performances with his supporting counterparts. Although Washington played the lead in Tenet, many note that his performance is too weak in the comparison with talented Robert Pattinson, who plays his sidekick, stealing the spotlight.
Amsterdam is not an exception. The actor is noted to have "a flat performance" and "zero chemistry" with Margot Robbie. Perhaps, that might have led to the decreasing pour of viewers in the theaters. But it's only the first weekend, so both Amsterdam and John David Washington have some more time for viewers to change their minds.