American Hustle--Directed by David O. Russell/starring
Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy
Renner/written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell/ 138 min/rated R
Bifocal Reviews written by Ageless1der, Barbara Rich & The Other Guy
(BR) American
Hustle has a wild, crazy kind of energy and it keeps you chasing after
something but you don’t know exactly what. This is a 1970’s story about ABSCAM,
con artist scams and bribery schemes that were newsworthy, at the time. The fashion
and the hairstyles is what amazed me. I thoroughly enjoyed going back in time
to bad comb-overs, perms, and puffy pompadours. The hair stylist alone deserves
an Oscar. And those barely there dresses! I don’t know how those girls kept them
on. This was a great, dynamic ensemble, too. But make no mistake, Christian
Bale and Amy Adams were the nucleus of this team. I also have to mention that I
was thrilled with the selection of songs. I found myself dancing in my seat
while listening to this mix of ’70 tunes, which afforded me the luxury of
nostalgia. Jennifer Lawrence again,
proves her versatility, adding a New Jersey housewife to her litany of
characterizations. Jeremy Renner nailed the mayor-role, and this is the best
acting I’ve seen him do. Bradley Cooper’s role as a government agent is all
over the place, with an ego that propels his character to extremes. In
conclusion, I give this film four binoculars.
(OG) I couldn’t help but compare this movie to The
Sting, the Robert Redford/Paul Newman classic, and I’m certain that a
Sting-look-alike comparison will not offend either Singer or Russell. They did
a great job writing this snug script. It was nice to see Jeremy Renner doing a
different kind of acting than he’s had a chance to do in previous films, and
Christian Bale was phenomenal, and completely immersed in his character (even
gaining some weight to fill in his pot-belly). Both Adams and Lawrence
demonstrate their versatility and Bradley Cooper’s character—a complex and
creative cop character—allows him to deliver a full spectrum of emotions. I
think we’ll see this ensemble cast working together in the future, as a kind of
male/female rat pack without the need of a “chairperson of the board.” I agree, this is a four binocular film, with
a possible five for Christian Bale. I expect his name to be at the top of the
awards lists throughout the season.
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