Tag: American Hustle

American Hustle is yet another entry into what is beginning to shape up as the Golden Era of David O. Russell’s career as a filmmaker. Following last year’s hit Silver Linings Playbook, Russell stacks his cast with many of the same faces. The film is set around two con artists and one FBI agent. The film begins by setting up the two con artists, using conventions and techniques usually found in the gangster genre. Think Casino. The first 20 or so minutes have inner monologues, tracking shots, and long takes that all take character over plot. However, as long as we’re talking about David O. Russell here, character over plot isn’t a bad thing.

American Hustle is very much a character driven film, as it should be. Christian Bale knocks this role out of the park. And Jeremy Renner? It almost made me completely forget about how static Hawkeye was in The Avengers. Moving on. Both Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence are definitely deserving of best acting nominations. As the film went on, I couldn’t help but think that the two were playing themselves in some scenes. This thought was solidified upon further reading that there was more than a few scenes where the actors would improv. Bradley Cooper delivers what seems to be his greatest performance yet and has great chemistry with both Adams and Bale. Regardless, an ensemble cast that works this well together should not be so quickly overlooked. American Hustle deserves audiences for this feat alone.

As hinted at earlier, Russell’s directorial style is hitting a smooth stride; a stride so flawless, so self-reflexive, you can tell he’s having fun with it. It’s a film made with the same love and care that Silver Linings came from. The director trademarks are there, such as close ups of handholding, and the various musical montages are a blast. All this while the production and costume design will have you invested in the film’s setting and story.

Aside from a few ADR and editing quips, American Hustle delivers a powerful experience, one that with themes and questions that’ll have you thinking while you’re walking out of the theater. In American Hustle, everyone hustles to survive. Do you?

American Hustle is currently in limited release and goes wide on December 20, 2013.

I’d love to talk more about the film as you all see it, so don’t be afraid to comment below!

Be sure to read MCDave’s review of the film here!

To steal a quote from Woody Harrelson in the 1992 comedy White Men Can’t Jump, filmmaker David O. Russell is “in the zone”. Russell finds himself in the midst of an unbelievable directorial stretch that will surely bring him his third consecutive Best Picture Nomination when they’re officially announced early next year. In his latest masterpiece, American Hustle, the writer/director puts a clever fictionalized spin on the FBI’s ABSCAM operation which took place in the late 1970s. So clever, in fact, that we may have found our next Academy Awards Best Picture winner.

After con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and his seductive mistress, Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), are arrested for loan fraud by up-and-coming FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), they have two options: either face some serious jail time, or help DiMaso bring down four other high profile criminals. Needless to say Irving and Sydney choose the latter, assisting DiMaso in a sting operation that couples New Jersey politician Camine Polito (Jeremy Renner), countless political officials and dangerous members of the mafia. The only wild card in the matter is Irving’s wife, Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), whose instability could put the whole operation in jeopardy.

With David O. Russell’s American Hustle, you can expect a big-time splash that will leave a ripple effect on just about every major Oscar race out there. The filmmaker has coached his two previous casts to 7 … let that sink in for a minute … 7 Oscar nominations with their work in both Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter. Current cast members Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence understand the greatness of Russell as he helped lead both of them to their only Academy Awards victories. As expected, American Hustle delivers no shortage of fine performances. From top to bottom the cast is excellent. It all starts with leading man Christian Bale who packs on the pounds and shaves the center of his head to truly capture the art of the comb-over. Not only does Bale display onscreen excellence yet again, he continues to remind us of his dedication to the craft. There may not be a more committed actor on the entire planet. But he is far from the only shining star, perhaps Bradley Cooper is most impressive with a towering turn as Richie DiMaso, a young FBI agent who becomes more and more obsessed with making the biggest bust in U.S. history. And let’s not forget Jennifer Lawrence. While the young actress moseys along and embraces all of the onscreen recognition and public love she’s been receiving, her performance actually feels like one of the least convincing roles in the film, although still fantastic. American Hustle‘s ensemble is spectacular and, without question, the finest of the year.

You’ll need to search for flaws in David O. Russell’s American Hustle, but one irritating aspect is the director’s fixation on the time period. There’s no subtlety to it whatsoever. Russell continually throws the 1970 vibe right in your face by purposely calling attention to it throughout the entire film. In some ways it feels as though he sacrifices substance for style and it’s a shame. Furthermore, American Hustle does tend to drag on in its latter stages. You can sense where the movie’s headed, but Russell takes his merry old time getting there. Thankfully, the writer/director has mastered the art of story-telling and uses a sharp comedic tone to help balance his out-stretched tale of power, greed and pushing the limits. By the time American Hustle is all said and done, it’s obvious that Russell has a winning effort on his hands, one that’s assured to garner plenty of attention on its road to the Oscars.

With the clock winding down and the cinematic year coming to a screeching halt, 2013 finally has a film that stands out above the rest. American Hustle is an energetic and hilarious adventure. And despite the fact that its dramatics aren’t overly “touching” or “moving”, nor should they be, American Hustle is a fun and engaging ride that you won’t want to miss.

GRADE: 4.5/5

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