By
Melissa Agar
American
Hustle (Columbia,
2013) – Director: David O. Russell. Writers: Eric Singer, David O.
Russell. Cast: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy
Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K., & Jack Huston. Color, 138
minutes.
For
me, there’s no greater period in film history than the 10 years
spanning roughly 1968 to 1978. Seriously, go back and check out some
of the genius films released in those 10 years – Bonnie and
Clyde, The Godfather, Network, Chinatown, Taxi Driver. I could go
on. If you haven’t seen any of those films, open up a new browser
window, go to Netflix, and load up your queue with some of the
greatest American films ever produced.
Over
the course of the past couple years, studios have started allowing
directors to revisit the principles of that era, embracing the notion
that they can make intelligent, creative movies helmed by
visionaries, proving that audiences will go to movies that don’t
have roman numerals in the title or are overrun with fart jokes. With
the release of David O. Russell’s sublime American Hustle,
the argument could be made that we are in the midst of a new golden
era of American cinema.
Like
many of the great films of the 1970s (and set in 1978), American
Hustle mines its story from the seedy underbelly of American
life, specifically two small-ish time con artists named Irving
Rosenfeld (a paunchy, balding Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Adams). Both
Irving and Sydney are seeking a sort of escape and re-invention, and
gravitate to one another at a party, bound together by their mutual
love for Duke Ellington.
The
two embark on an affair that becomes wrapped up in their con that
finds them offering to help those struggling with bad credit to
secure international loans for a “small fee.” It is essentially
the 1970’s version of the Nigerian prince scam. Enter eager, hungry
young FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper). He arrests Irving and Sydney,
seeing in the duo a chance to lure in some bigger, career-making
fish. Richie offers them a deal – help him catch four other people
lured in by one of their scams, and the duo will go free. Sydney
smells trouble and wants to run, but Irving opts to go along with
DiMaso for fear of losing his son to his vindictive, unstable wife
Rosalyn (Lawrence). Soon, the con begins spiraling out of control as
the trio stumble across Carmine Polito (Renner), the mayor of Camden,
New Jersey, who is desperate to kick start Atlantic City development
and put his constituents back to work, even if it means dabbling in
some shady business dealings. Before long, there are fake Arab
sheiks, Mafia henchmen, and corrupt politicians running through the
con, and Irving finds himself treading deeper and deeper into
territory that makes him uncomfortable, especially as he grows to
like and admire Polito.
The
film is based on the Abscam operation of the late 1970s, although the
script by Russell and Singer takes tremendous liberties – changing
names, adding characters, and creating a world that exists somewhere
between the grit of Martin Scorsese’s early work and the bada-bing
glamour of Ocean’s Eleven. The double crosses and
shenanigans are truly entertaining until there are reminders of how
real and dangerous the stakes are for these characters. There are
some truly funny moments that are undercut by sudden bursts of
violence as Irving, Sydney, and Richie struggle to stay in control of
the situation. It is a movie that leaves you on edge, never entirely
sure when things will fall apart and often pretty certain that true
danger is just around the corner.
Part
of the volatility lies in the performances delivered onscreen. Bale,
Cooper, Adams, Lawrence, and Renner have never been better. They are
not afraid to take their characters to truly ugly places. Bale’s
performance stands at the center of the film, as he is probably the
closest the film has to a protagonist. His physical transformation
for the film is likely to have people talking – the paunchy gut
that’s on display in the opening moments, the masterful wigwork
that gives him the most complicated and elaborate combover I’ve
ever seen – but Bale is so much more than that. His Irving is
driven and vulnerable, filled with anger and compassion in equal
measures. He is a man driven by a sense of honor, albeit one that is
at times a bit warped. It’s taken me a while to get on the
“Christian Bale is brilliant” train, and I still argue that he’s
capable of some pretty weak stuff, but when he’s allowed to really
revel in his art, he is a breathtaking actor to behold.
It
would be easy for all of these actors to coast on laurels and ride
their fame and good looks all the way to the bank. All have been
involved in major blockbusters or have been connected to significant
franchises. They could spend their careers making variations on those
greatest hits, and the American moviegoing public would probably line
up. Instead, they seek the challenge of working with an artist like
David O. Russell and find new places to take their craft. Cooper
masks his matinee idol good looks behind a beard and a pretty
hilarious perm and gives us a volatile, selfish Richie who bullies
his way through the operation, often resorting to violence with his
superior (C.K.) who refuses his outlandish requests. While many of
Cooper’s more volatile moments are played for laughs, there is
something truly unsettling about his Richie every time he’s on
screen. It’s a terrific performance and continues Cooper’s quest
to break free of his Hangover persona.
Equally
mesmerizing is Lawrence. While her Rosalyn clocks significantly less
screen time than other characters, Lawrence leaves her mark with her
flinty, fidgety performance. Rosalyn is a master manipulator, perhaps
the most unlikable character in the movie being played by arguably
the most likable actress in Hollywood right now. It is a fearless,
bravura performance, proving Lawrence is destined for even greater
heights. At times, watching her borders on uncomfortable as you
struggle between hating the passive aggressive manipulation Rosalyn
often employs and feeling embarrassed for her inability to cope with
the life she’s trapped herself in. I dare you to see this film and
not be haunted by her lip-syncing to “Live and Let Die.” (This is
a good time to give a huge shout-out to the brilliant soundtrack for
the film that perfectly combines great 1970s hits like Steely Dan’s
“Dirty Work” with a haunting Arabic version of “White Rabbit”
with lounge hits like Tom Jones’s “Delilah” and just a dash of
jazz courtesy of Duke Ellington and Thelonius Monk.)
It’s
movies like American Hustle that give me hope for
American film, that make writing reviews a joy because it’s a
chance to celebrate what a tremendous art form film can be. No matter
what happens come Oscar-season, this is a film that will surely go
down in the pantheon as one of the great films of the decade.
Grade:
A
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