Review of American Hustle

David O. Russell must be a very busy man. American Hustle is his third film in four years (following 2010's The Fighter and 2012's Silver Linings Playbook), and like the previous two, he's aggressively gunning for Oscar Gold. This time, he mashes the casts of both of those movies together and dips into the "period piece" well. American Hustle is based very loosely on the ABSCAM scandal in the 1970s, so loose in fact, that a caption helpfully reminds us at the beginning that "some of this actually happened." That's a perfect tone-setter for the film itself, which is wildly comedic, full of boundless energy, and steeped in nostalgic excess, right down the inclusion of multiple chart-topping hits on the soundtrack. 

American Hustle begins by introducing us to the meeting of Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams). He’s a skilled con-man on his own, but with her help (in the form of sex appeal and a convincing British accent), they become hugely successful at by preying on the greed of their clients. But one day, their games come to an abrupt end when they’re caught in a sting by FBI agent DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). Richie decides to spare jail time for the two lovers in exchange for them helping him climb the FBI's corporate ladder by nailing some big fish - Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner), the mayor of Camden, New Jersey; congressmen; and maybe even some mobsters. Irving and Sydney go along with the scheme, but the scheme itself is far from the only complication they’ll face.

The con games aren’t just part of the movie’s central plot, they’re key with respect to every character’s relationship with others. No one in this film is who they seem, and the pace is so relentless that it takes a while for the pieces to snap into place. Russell also presents corrupt politicians in a different light than what we’re used to seeing. This isn’t a movie simmering with anger and cynicism; it presents some men as simply opportunists and some (particularly Carmine) with wanting to invest the money in a positive way for citizens of New Jersey. That’s consistent with the tone of the rest of the movie; though ABSCAM resulted in the corruption conviction of one U.S. Senator and six members of the House of Representatives, Russell recognizes the comedy inherent in how various parties bumble around with such a complex scheme.

Christian Bale is well-known for the extreme bodily makeovers he takes on from role to role. He’s been buff in American Psycho and the Dark Knight trilogy and skeletal in The Machinist and The Fighter, but this is the first time he tries on “fat” for size. Gaining 40 pounds, adapting a slouchy posture, and sporting a ridiculous comb-over, Bale disappears into Rosenfeld’s skin. Bradley Cooper plays Richie as the ultimate wanna-be Alpha Dog; he’s assertive, reckless, and a little unhinged. But he’s great fun to watch. Amy Adams handles the back-and-forth switch between accents with ease, and Jennifer Lawrence has a lot of fun playing a ditzy sexpot.

Oscar buzz abound for American Hustle, but for me, I fail to see anything that lifts it above its competition. It’s well-made, well-acted, and directed by a man with a unique sense of style, but it misses greatness. At times, the movie rambles, especially early on, and events unfold at such a dizzying pace that confusion occasionally results. Had this been a spring, summer, or early fall release, expectations for it would be lower, and that can factor in how a viewer perceives a film. Nevertheless, American Hustle is a triumph of style over substance, and it’s a welcome diversion no matter what the calendar reads.

Rating: *** (out of ****)