Based on one of my favourite subjects related to conmen & heists, probably I was expecting a lot from this widely appreciated film, nominated in many major categories of 2014 Academy Awards or maybe I am the only one having a different opinion about the film as it seems. Anyway in honest words, I found AMERICAN HUSTLE to be just a good film with a lot of noticeable merits but not a great path breaking or exceptional movie to be applauded that loudly.
Mentioning it worthy points first, the film has been shot well and written beautifully, especially focusing on the witty dialogues which in fact become the major highlight of the film throughout. Actually it’s a thriller which focuses more on its characters, their mannerisms, their spoken words or their way of living life on their own terms and less on any major events or happenings as such. So if you are looking for any great con sequence in particular (as it is always there in such films) then you are not going to find the same in an exact from, but there surely are many enjoyable, worth watching, and commendable performances working as its major triumph card arguably.
The largely convincing acts are led by Christian Bale, who has amazingly got into that shape to play the given character brilliantly and then there is Amy Adams sensually playing his con partner with all her sexy, glamorous looks and elegant dresses having long, open cleavages. Jennifer Lawrence is terrific as Christian’s nagging wife and Bradley Cooper is great as the confused FBI agent along with the veteran Robert De Niro, who weaves magic in his only one scene in the second hour.
Reportedly based on the real life Abscam scandal of late 1970s, it’s about a secret FBI operation to investigate illegal transactions of money involving many politicians, wherein the FBI agent takes help from few con-artists. Director David O Russell uses that familiar kind of backdrop to make an engaging film which is surely great as far as performances and their mutual conversations are concerned. But it frankly cannot be rated as a thoroughly entertaining or a fast paced, thrilling con drama to be precise.
At around 140 minutes, the film turns out to be a bit lengthy and gains its real momentum like an exciting, crime drama in only the last 30-40 minutes of its script. So before that one can only enjoy the film if he focuses more on the characters and their amusing interactions without expecting any great engaging sequence involving the con team. In other words, I found it to be a film where perhaps the ensemble cast and the director was having a more enjoyable time than the viewers. And that should easily give you a hint about the experience I had watching it in the theater. However in case you are the one more interested in enjoying the performances alone then you can sure opt for this over-appreciated movie for just once.
Rating : 3 + 0.5 / 5
[Including the additional 0.5 just for Christian Bale, who once again went through an amazing, unbelievable kind of physical transformation for his role, post THE MACHINIST (2004), RESCUE DAWN (2006) and THE FIGHTER (2010)]
