American Hustle, Perfectly Balanced (Film Review)

A CON JOB

WITH A TWIST

 

Review by Alyn Darnay
Directed by: David O. Russell
Written by: Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell
Cast: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence

You know that you know genius in a film when you see it. No question, because it sets you back in your seat and holds you there indefinitely. Such is the story with “American Hustle”, director David O. Russell’s latest film. The problem here for me is figuring out where the genius lays. This film works on so many levels it’s hard to separate them. Is it the fast talking, fast moving script? Is it the ‘Bullhorn’ directing style of Mr. Russell? Or the exceptional cast of actors giving the performances of their careers? Or perhaps it’s the perfect envisioning of the period? Maybe it’s impossible to determine where one starts and the others end. Maybe it doesn’t matter; except to a reviewer.

Whatever magic is working here, I’m sure you’ll draw similarities to Martin Scorseses’ hyperbolic style, what with whip and whoosh pans, redundant slow-motion, tracking close-ups, and all the tacky filming styles of the period. Personally, I think it shares more with Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Boogie Nights”, both in style and movement, but who’s comparing, this film is unique and as old style as it appears to be, it’s a pure joy to watch.

Here’s The Storyline

Loosely based upon the FBI ABSCAM scandal of the late 70’s early 80’s, “American Hustle” is a comedy crime drama that tells the story of brilliant con man Irving Rosenfeld (Bale), who along with his equally cunning and seductive pseudo British partner Sydney Prosser (Adams) is blackmailed into working for ditsy FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper), who forces them into a world of Jersey power brokers and mafia that’s as dangerous as it is enchanting. Carmine Polito (Renner), a passionate, volatile, ex- mayor is their first target, caught in this trap between the trio and the Feds desire to make a big bust. All is working great until Rosalyn (Lawrence), Irving’s unpredictable wife becomes the fly in the ointment whose unpredictable behavior could pull the entire sting down around them.

Ok, now that you get an idea of the story, I want to talk about acting performances. Everyone in this film is giving the performance of a lifetime. How Russell get’s this level of acting out of them has become his style and his trademark. Take Bale for instance; from the very opening visual, overweight, balding, outfitted in ugly ’70s fashion and embarrassingly fighting with his unique hairstyle, to the look on his face at the end, he pulls off a flawless characterization, best of his career. Amy Adams, in a perfectly balanced performance, beautiful, tough, sexy, unblemished, and smart, becomes the cement that holds the whole story together. In the hands of a less talented actress, it would have been a disaster. Supremely talented Jennifer Lawrence owns the screen every second she’s there, and Jeremy Renner’s hair is a character all its own. It’s all a WOW!

My take…run, don’t walk to see this film. It’s a winner, not to be missed.

Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5) “American Hustle” is Rated R (for pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence)
Running Time: 2 Hrs 9 Min