If there were a career turnaround award for a director, David O. Russell has to be near the top of the list. Russell has often been criticized for being too abrasive with his actors (I Heart Huckabees is a great example). However, he has ridden a great streak this decade: The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook, and now American Hustle, a 70s con whodunit featuring some of the best working actors today. Whatever resentment Hollywood had working with David O. Russell, they sure have gotten over it.
We are introduced to Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) creating a very elaborate toupee hiding nonsense on the top of his head. Rosenfeld is a con man, dealing in art, dry cleaning and banking. He has a wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) and a kid, but he doesn’t really love her and spends most of his time with his mistress Sydney (Amy Adams) who is his partner in crime as well. At some point, their cons get big enough to attract the attention of Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), an FBI agent who wants Irving and Sydney to take down corrupt politicians. Their research leads them to Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) the very popular mayor of Camden New Jersey, who may have ties to several politicians above his pay grade also in on the bribery.
American Hustle takes a little too long to arrive at its ending. It is a con game, so the movie takes its time developing the characters into complicated individuals. Who exactly is Sydney conning since she clearly likes Riche and Irving? Is Richie conning the FBI? Is Carmine really a con artist? The third act twists are cleverly hidden, with care taken to not make the con artists overly smart. Lots of mistakes are made, whether it be moving a suitcase too early, or talking at the wrong time. Russell finds the humor in the situation as small-timers slowly get in over their heads. American Hustle makes sure the story feels organic, and for the most part it succeeds (with the possible exception of Rosalyn, who feels pretty contrived).
However, right away, Director Russell transfers you to a different time. The 70’s period details walk the line between overt and subtle. Like any great period piece, they mostly outline the background, never wholly calling attention to themselves: the most overt being the hairstyles and outfits. Close ups are used to great effect since these actors are great with facial expressions, and Russell uses the inherently comical source material to shoot romantic scenes in a dry cleaners or panoramics of Bale’s obese body. American Hustle’s story problems aside, directing and period detail is pretty flawless.
Plus Russell has 5 acting weapons at his disposal. Christian Bale method acting into burger weight to deliver a great performance as Irving. Bale walks the line between self-assured and terrified of the escalation of his jobs. It’s refreshing to see such a self-aware con artist. Amy Adams looks more amazing than I’ve ever seen her, and she also shines brightly as duplicitous Sydney. There’s a scene where she is shot without makeup so she can emotionally be naked, and Adams delivers these lines with controlled burning passion most actors could not pull off. Bradley Cooper is hilarious in this film as Richie, a do gooder who likes his taste of the bad side. He knowingly pushes the morality and actions of the group for his own personal score, showing unexpected smarts and a little bit of hubris. David O. Russell brings out the acting chops of Cooper, and that is certainly in evidence here. Jennifer Lawrence is a bit too unhinged and functions more like a plot device, but when she has to showcase how Irving gets suckered into staying with her, she shines. As the heart of the film, Jeremy Renner gets to be a politician with a heart of gold who uses some illegitimate ways to get the people what they want. Renner’s genuine affection for his city provides a nice counterweight for the deceptions all around him.
As the tag at the beginning of this movie says: “Some of these events really happened.” American Hustle always feels a little off, with constant reminders that people are adopting personas opposite their true selves. It also accomplishes the great feat of pulling off a truly romantic scene inside of a dry cleaners.