If you want to see a movie that is unashamedly retro in style and content, you will not do better than this amusing, if historically wide of the mark depiction of a gang of con artists from the 1970s who get snared into pulling off a sting for the FBI, which of course does not go according to plan.
Directed by David O. Russell, this movie is meant, so it is said, to be based on the 1978 Abscam investigation. This involved the FBI instigating a major sting by using used fake Arab sheiks, in order to get at the bad apples in Congress and local authorities.
Not that American Hustle even makes any attempt or pretence at historical accuracy, because, as the movie tagline tells us, some of this actually happened, but you can be certain not in the way depicted here. I found, …show more content…
It reveals the essence of the character, giving himself a new identity with a comb and some hairspray.
Con artist Irving Rosenfeld - played brilliantly by Bale - is a purveyor of bogus loan deals and dubious art works who has several dry-cleaning outlets that clean up the criminal proceeds of his occupation. He is married, but his bed and business partner is Sydney - a superb Amy Adams - with whom he has a kind of spiritual bond. Their paths in life intersect that of ambitious FBI agent Richie DiMaso - Bradley Cooper in great form - and in no time, he has them hooked into his crazy scheme for conning those corrupt politicians.
Jeremy Renner plays the mob-connected New Jersey mayor to absolute perfection, and Jennifer Lawrence the beautiful, but ill-treated wife of Rosenfeld, who actually comes into her own as the film progresses. Louis C.K. is the FBI boss who seems permanently confused, and all in all this disparate group of people are all followed by the director gleefully as they stumble through the
Directed by David O. Russell, this movie is meant, so it is said, to be based on the 1978 Abscam investigation. This involved the FBI instigating a major sting by using used fake Arab sheiks, in order to get at the bad apples in Congress and local authorities.
Not that American Hustle even makes any attempt or pretence at historical accuracy, because, as the movie tagline tells us, some of this actually happened, but you can be certain not in the way depicted here. I found, …show more content…
It reveals the essence of the character, giving himself a new identity with a comb and some hairspray.
Con artist Irving Rosenfeld - played brilliantly by Bale - is a purveyor of bogus loan deals and dubious art works who has several dry-cleaning outlets that clean up the criminal proceeds of his occupation. He is married, but his bed and business partner is Sydney - a superb Amy Adams - with whom he has a kind of spiritual bond. Their paths in life intersect that of ambitious FBI agent Richie DiMaso - Bradley Cooper in great form - and in no time, he has them hooked into his crazy scheme for conning those corrupt politicians.
Jeremy Renner plays the mob-connected New Jersey mayor to absolute perfection, and Jennifer Lawrence the beautiful, but ill-treated wife of Rosenfeld, who actually comes into her own as the film progresses. Louis C.K. is the FBI boss who seems permanently confused, and all in all this disparate group of people are all followed by the director gleefully as they stumble through the