AMERICAN HUSTLE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Director David O. Russell has a knack for combining comedy and drama in a entertaining way. For a lot of films, the combination of comedy and drama doesn't always work. If a film is too dramatic, it can make the comedy seem out of place and vice versa. However, O. Russell has managed to get the balance just right. This was clearly proven in his previous film, Silver Linings Playbook. He also uses the same actors he has worked with previously including Christian Bale, Amy Adams (the three collaborated in the 2010 film, The Fighter), Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence (who both worked with O. Russell on Silver Linings Playbook). This is a method that usually works because both the actor and director already know each other and can focus on creating a film. It's because of the combination of drama and comedy and the talented actors that American Hustle is one of O. Russell's best films.
A fictional film set in the alluring world of one of the most stunning scandals to rock our nation, American Hustle tells the story of brilliant con man Irving Rosenfeld (Bale), who along with his equally cunning and seductive partner Sydney Prosser (Adams) is forced to work for a wild FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper). DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia that's as dangerous as it is enchanting. Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) is the passionate, volatile, New Jersey political operator caught between the con-artists and Feds. Irving's unpredictable wife Rosalyn (Lawrence) could be the one to pull the thread that brings the entire world crashing down. Like O. Russell's previous films, American Hustle defies genre, hinging on raw emotion, and life and death stakes.
The film begins with Rosenfeld and Prosser, who is posing as British aristocrat Lady Edith Greensly, working for DiMaso after he catches them in a scam. He decides that, instead of sending them to jail, they work for him and line up four additional arrests. The film is then sent back to Irving's childhood and he describes, through narration, how he became a con artist and met Sydney who then describes her first opinion of Irving also through narration. I think this is a great way of getting to know the characters and their opinions of each other.
American Hustle's strongest point comes from the acting involved. There's not a bad performance to be found. The stand out, of course, is Bale as Rosenfeld. It's hard to believe that just over a year before this film, he was the Dark Knight in The Dark Knight Rises. This role further proves how talented he is as, instead of wearing a fat suit, he gained over 40 pounds for the role as overweight Rosenfeld. The actor is unrecognisable in his performance. Adams is perfectly seductive as his partner who, as Greensly, has a near-perfect British accent. Cooper's performance brings some comedic elements to the role and Lawrence is also comical as Rosenfeld's wife. Another strong performance comes from Renner who doesn't know he's being fooled by con artists, Rosenfeld and Prosser.
The film also manages to capture the setting of the 1970s really well. Anyone who grew up in that era will recognise the clothes, hair and music that feature within American Hustle. These all provide jolts of energy to certain scenes. Using music to enhance scenes works really well especially when Rosalyn is cleaning the house whilst mouthing the words to Sir Paul McCartney's 'Live And Let Die'. Definitely one of the comedic highlights of the film.
The plot is original enough that it is compelling. If Rosenfeld and Prosser fail to line up the four additional arrests, they are sent to prison which isn't something we want for the characters. Despite being con artists, they're not bad people. When he was growing up, Rosenfeld's father owned a glass window business and noticed that his father was taken advantage of by his customers. This lead to Rosenfeld breaking glass windows in the area so they would buy more windows. It's the only way he can make money for himself. Prosser met Rosenfeld at a party where they bonded over jazz music and soon fell in love. This leads to an affair between the two and is the cause of many arguments between Rosenfeld and his wife.
In 2014, American Hustle was nominated for a total of ten awards including Best Motion Picture, four Best Performance awards for Bale, Adams, Cooper and Lawrence and a Best Achievement in Directing award for O. Russell. Unfortunately, they didn't win any but I'm very happy they were nominated.
Overall, American Hustle is very funny and has an ensemble of some of Hollywood's most talented actors. It compensates for its flaws with unbridled energy and O. Russell's most irrepressibly vibrant direction.
8/10