Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner
Directed By: David O. Russell
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 138 minutes
Sony Pictures
Our Score: 5 out of 5 Stars
The main cast of David O. Russell’s two previous acclaimed films The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook join forces with added Jeremy Renner and Louis CK to form the glorious and hilarious American Hustle. Set amidst the 1970s ABSCAM affair, Hustle is less concerned with historical accuracy, disclaiming only “some of this actually happened” and more interested in pitting ambitious larger-than-life players against each other. The huge personalities are well matched to the gorgeous kaleidoscope of 1970s hair and wardrobe on display. The result is a wildly fast-paced comedy that lives up to the promise of its powerhouse cast. Easily one of the best films of the year.
The film follows Christian Bale as Bronx con man, Irving Rosenfeld, who is hellbent on making something of himself with his shady loans dealings and forged artwork. He decides to reveal his true occupation, hidden behind a dry cleaning front, to equally ambitious schemer Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) with whom he hooked up with at a party. At first Rosenfeld regrets his decision but Prosser comes roaring back to him with a fully formed persona for joining in on his scams. Equipped with the poshest of fake British accents Sydney transforms into Edith Greensly whose alleged London banking connections make Rosenfeld’s offers that much more appealing to his marks.
The couple’s whirlwind romance and financial success is halted when they’re caught by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) who aims to use the pair’s skills in order to entrap government officials and even bigger fish. DiMaso, like Irving, is also eager to make the bigtime. As DiMaso Cooper’s wild eyed hunger for getting the largest targets possible in the face of a sensible superior played by the brilliant Louis CK is one of the greatest joys of the film. Meanwhile Jeremy Renner as the affable politician DiMaso seeks to ruin helps to ground the emotional cost of the agent’s desperation. Mainly though Hustle is a fascinating power struggle between the trio of Irving, Richie and Sydney. Each scene is rife with a nervous energy as the three players face off and get themselves further and further in over their heads. Sydney’s real or feigned affection for both of the men adds additional tension for good measure with Adams doing some of her best work ever.
In lesser hands, the cast may have been outshone by the garish hair and trappings of the disco era, but here the pile of hair on Jennifer Lawrence for example seems downright tame on the head of her boozy Rosalyn, Irving’s wildcard wife. Her face-off with Adams over their mutual claim to Bale’s character is one of the most electric moments of the film and both actresses dive into their rivalry with relish.