Title: “American Hustle”
Director: David O. Russell
Writers: Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell
Stars: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
If one film has been grossly overrated this year, I’m sorry to say that it’s “American Hustle.” Based loosely on the ABSCAM scandal of the late ’70s and early ’80s, this film follows two con artists played by Christian Bale and Amy Adams as they are forced to set up an elaborate sting operation by the FBI.
The acting is excellent. Christian Bale does a great job and gained 50 pounds for this role, pulling a reverse of what he did in “The Machinist.” I actually worry about him. If he keeps doing this, he’s going to develop some major health problems. Bradley Cooper plays the loose canon FBI agent blackmailing the con artists, and while we kind of like him at first, his character becomes a real ass as the movie progresses. Amy Adams is the other con artist and love interest, and she plays the role impeccably, although I’ve seen her in better roles. Jennifer Lawrence is great as another loose canon, playing Christian Bale’s character’s unpredictable wife.
The directing is great, per David O. Russell’s usual, and he gets some great performances and interesting camera shots that keep you watching the screen. The editing, while seeming a bit off at first, actually turns out great, and becomes an integral part of this film. There’s also some really good ’70s music throughout the movie.
So why the mediocre rating? The film has great acting, great directing, interesting editing, great music,…and yet something went wrong somewhere. It’s hard to put your finger on it, but something about this film didn’t gel. All those great parts of the movie were like beautifully painted puzzle pieces that don’t fit together. They didn’t mesh well, and the movie winds up being far less than the sum of its parts.
I can’t tell you how disappointing this was. After hearing the buzz built up about this movie, and then seeing it, and seeing all of these great aspects to it, to be left at the end of the movie saying, “Meh,” was a real letdown. I’m convince that the buzz was from people who payed attention only to the movie’s individual parts, and failed to see the forest for the trees.
This movie is okay, but that’s really it. While it has some great parts, those parts don’t fit together to create a fully working machine. The film as a whole is rather mediocre, which is a real shame.
“American Hustle” earns 3 out of 5 stars.
SheldonNylander.com 