“American Hustle” Review

With an incredible star cast, with the likes of Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence (oh, Jennifer Lawrence), and directed by David O. Russell, it can’t be bad. It emerged a big winner at the Golden Globes, and it has picked up 10 Oscar nominations, of which it will undoubtedly win atleast a few. So it can’t be bad, right? Well, let’s see.

Con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and his partner in crime Sydney Prosser (a stunning Amy Adams) are forced to work for off-the-handle FBI agent Richie Di Maso (Bradley Cooper) to save themselves. What starts as being a plan to arrest four other cons quickly turns into a sting to get corrupt Congress officials and mob bosses when popular and straight as an arrow mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) gets involved, and Di Maso keeps pushing the envelope against Rosenfeld’s instincts to keep it low-key. To make matters worse is Rosenfeld’s unpredictable wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence, in what I am pretty sure will be her second Oscar winning role).

Needless to say, “American Hustle” isn’t bad. In fact, it’s great. But I have to say, at the end of the movie, I couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed. Sure, the acting is top class, the direction has David O. Russell’s assured stamp, and the story (based on the FBI ABSCAM operation in the late 1970s and 80s) is definitely ripe for a great con movie, but somehow the movie is missing something. I think it could have used some of the manic energy that made “The Wolf of Wall Street” so enjoyable.

The movie has some really enjoyable moments. I particularly enjoyed the running joke where Di Maso’s superior is trying to tell him what happened to his brother on an ice-fishing trip. Some smart dialogues and great chemistry between the cast also elevate a lot of scenes, most of which I won’t elaborate on to avoid spoilers. The 70s vibe is created well - the costumes and hairstyles in particular (Bradley Cooper in curls, for crying out loud). The soundtrack is also great.

I could go on forever on the cast, but it should be no surprise that all of them are great. Christian Bale, whose body transformations are now a trademark, carries off the harassed Rosenfeld with ease, though it’s a little hard to digest him as being from the Bronx. Bradley Cooper gives Di Maso the necessary ‘loose cannon” eccentricity, and turns in a memorable performance – probably his best. Jeremy Renner is good as the quintessential nice guy. Louis C.K., as Di Maso’s superior, was a really pleasant surprise for me. But it’s the ladies who really shine here – Amy Adams as the seductive Sydney Prosser hits all the right notes, and shares cracking chemistry with both men. And Jennifer Lawrence is just oh-so-awesome!! I would never have imagined her in a role like Rosalyn’s, but she pulls it off brilliantly (Needless to say, I am extremely partial to Jennifer Lawrence, but with good reason).

At the end of the day, it really is David O. Russell’s show. It’s easy to see that there is a lot of improvisation here, and everyone is having a great time. He uses his ensemble cast and creates a good movie – definitely something playing to the awards jury. The dilemma of the characters and the unpredictability in their situations is shown well - it's a good character driver caper, and that's where the fun comes from. But I felt that the kind of tension one would associate with a con-movie, the feeling of excitement the audience should feel as the stakes keep getting higher, was missing for me. Which is a shame, and possibly the only flaw in the movie.

That being said, don’t miss this movie for anything. The cast alone is reason to book tickets for the next show. And with so much going right in the 138 minutes, it's definitely a must see.