WHEN I SEE Christian Bale and Margot Robbie as leads in the cast, I am already smelling the popcorn, There are other  big names involved, including De Niro. It’s set after WWI, and in part based on real events. It’s light, funny at times, yet there’s an intrigue that builds; it takes a while to show up, but the action holds ones interest until it does. The director, David O. Russell (American Hustle, The Fighter, Sliver Linings Playbook), has a solid resume.

Bale is the usual joy to watch, Margot Robbie keeps getting better (hard to imagine), and then you have John David Washington (Black Klansman), Rami Malek, Anya Tayler, and list of celeb cameos from, for one example, Taylor Swift.

There’s not much else to say except that the “Aha” moment is delivered by DeNiro’s character and explains the energy and starpower around the film.  The film almost becomes the box and wrapping for a message that needs to be delivered every few generations it seems. Until that moment, I was entertained, but not too impressed. You only have to be patient.

WRH