It's the most wonderful time of the year again. No, not the Christmas season. Awards season. The beauty of awards season you may ask? Well, this is the magical time of the year when the studios push their best work at us. The theaters are not filled with the big superhero blockbusters, but with Oscar hopefuls. So, to start off the season, let us begin with David O'Russell's American Hustle.
In the last few years, David O'Russell has made quite the name for himself with The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook. Now, he brings his favorite actors together with this crazy movie about Abscam - a real life FBI sting operation. O'Russell brings the 70s to life with big hair, big craziness, and big promises of perfection. And he most certainly keeps those promises.
It is very possible that American Hustle could have been a big mess of a movie with a lesser director and lesser actors. The acting in this movie is some sort of magic. Christian Bale and Amy lead the cast as a pair of can artists working for the feds. It's amazing enough that Bale actually gained himself a beer gut for the role, however the way that he and Adams steered this movie and made you feel their joy and sorrow throughout all the games and craziness is something of brilliance. However, the real star of the show is Jennifer Lawrence as Bale's unhappy wife. Every scene she is in she steals, whether it is screaming at her husband or killing his mistress out of spite. If she doesn't once again win every award this year, I will be shocked and appalled.
Bottom Line: This is going to be a hard movie for other's to surpass on it's way to the awards show darling stage.
Grade: A+
