Thank God for movies like American Hustle, because if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t bother seeing movies in theaters anymore. Despite being somewhat overrated, this is a well-oiled machine of a movie that pushes along at a strong pace, building and becoming more interesting as characters and subplots are piled on. I think that in a way, this film is a toned-down version of Pulp Fiction-- Although it’s certainly not as good, it boasts all the aspects of a gangster/drama/comedy classic. It’s funny when it wants to be, ironic whenever it feels like it, but it also sets aside time for jaw-droppingly great performances and extremely dramatic moments. Also, it boasts an all-star cast that left me blown away. This is one of the best films of the year.
American Hustle is directed by David O. Russell, who in the past has given us the criminally underrated film Three Kings and the criminally overrated film Silver Linings Playbook. Say what you will about him, but he is one of the few directors who can actually make visuals in a drama amazing. Most people consider visuals in movies nowadays to be things like CGI and explosions, but action and sci-fi landscapes aren’t necessary to create memorable visuals. Russell focuses mostly on camera angles and set design, and puts an incredible amount of effort into re-creating the era. The costumes are expertly crafted, and the scene in which Christian Bale pieces together his hair is absolutely perfect.
Unlike other movies (fuck you, The Butler), American Hustle doesn’t pretend to be even remotely accurate about its story, prefacing the movie with the title card “SOME OF THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED.” It’s a work of genius that sets the tone for a vibrantly surreal movie that only gets more enjoyable the further it travels down the rabbit hole. Bale stars as an expert con artist, who with the assistance of Amy Adams cons hundreds of not-so-well-off guys who need loans. Bale’s operation is sniffed out by Bradley Cooper, a hothead federal agent who seems to always take things too far. Originally, these two roles were going to be reversed, with Cooper as the con artist and Bale as the fed. But that would never have worked-- Cooper’s youthful exuberance completely makes his character, and Bale delivers one of his best performances ever as the withdrawn con man. These are two of the year’s best performances, and practically carry the movie entirely just by the levity of their actions.
In order to avoid jail time, Bale and Adams agree to help Cooper out in a massive bust of corrupt politicians. One of these politicians is Mayor Carmine Polito, who is played by Jeremy Renner, one of the most underrated actors of our generation. He brings his innate likability to the character, and creates a sympathetic person who clearly wants nothing more than to do what is best for his constituents. But the real draw in this film is Jennifer Lawrence, who plays Bale’s wife. She is both magnetic and repulsive at once-- her character is probably the most intense I’ve seen this year. Although on the surface she is nothing more than a manipulative harpy, she soon reveals deep-seated emotional problems, a fear of change, and seriously latent stupidity. This is what makes her so dangerous: She is an unstable, attractive idiot. I don’t know whether to be entertained by her or fear her with every fiber of my being.
All of these performances are spectacular, but the film is lacking somewhat when it comes to heart. It flips through several great and memorable characters, from Michael Pena as a fake Arab sheik to Robert De Niro in a cameo as the ultimate tough-guy mobster, but it never seems to make us feel attached to the characters. Some backstory is given to Bale and Adams, but I never really bought their relationship, and this story is thrown in at the beginning, where the audience is yelling “JUST GET TO THE HUSTLE ALREADY!” It certainly gets better as it moves along, but I never shook the feeling that I was watching Pulp Fiction Lite. It’s another movie about gangsters and colorful characters, but none of them have the authenticity and likability of the characters in other gangster classics. There weren’t many quotable quotes, the dialogue lacked passion, and there was a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo about the money transfers and suchlike. Not a moment of small talk goes by, and that purveys the thought that these characters aren’t really characters-- They’re just people filling roles.
Final Score for American Hustle: 7/10 stars. A very well-done film that stumbles occasionally, this movie is extremely watchable but not always enjoyable. It’s at its best when it tries to be funny, because when it’s funny it’s HILARIOUS. Louie CK makes a welcome appearance as Bradley Cooper’s oft-abused boss, and he brings his funniest stuff to the table. The sheer ludicrousness of this movie is laughable, and I mean that in a good way. It’s a lot of fun, so who cares if there are moments that don’t ring as true as others?
Wait, there’s a scene where Jennifer Lawrence kisses Amy Adams.
On the lips.
Fuck it, 8/10.
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