One of the best films of 2013, David O. Russell's AMERICAN HUSTLE is a fast two hours of comedy, suspense, drama, great music and superb acting.
Loosely recounting a story of players in the ABSCAM sting of the seventies, Christian Bale is a force of nature as genius con man Irving Rosenfeld. Bale is a long way from the abs of Batman here, almost unrecognizable sporting a beer belly and the worst film comb-over since Bill Murray in "Kingpin".
Circling Irving are his beautiful partner in crime and love Sydney (Amy Adams, excellent), his wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), the New Jersey power politician Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) and hungry, driven FBI agent Richie DeMaso (Bradley Cooper).
What a cast.
These players become increasingly entangled in a complicated scheme where every double cross is only upped by the one that follows and money begins to exchange hands between faux Arab shieks and Jersey politicians.
There's nothing better than a screenplay that constantly surprises you and characters that have real reactions as unpredictable as they are genuine.
Toss this all in with a barrage of seventies music, clothes and hairstyles and a fast moving story and you have another great film from Russell.
Last year, Russell nailed it with Silver Linings Playbook. He's upped the ante and delivered again here with an even more entertaining movie. Lawrence is a force of nature in her supporting role and I think its the best Cooper has ever been.
Get ready to be entertained.
American Hustle twists, turns and seduces its way to a very enjoyable A
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