American Hustle matches US' foreign policy: Nuggets of truth peppered with disappointment.

(Written by Jon Petre)

American Hustle promised to be an interesting and intelligent blend of complex storytelling and quality acting from a great cast. And I'm sorry to say that that just wasn't the case.

When I first heard of American Hustle, I was really excited; when was the last time that a decent (non-magic based) heist movie came out? But once again, big budget Hollywood decided to take my dreams and crush them underfoot like yesterday's jam.

Christian Bale plays a man of confusing morals, with a secret double life. I'm not sure which one was the secret life--the multi-million cheque scam business with sexy partner in crime Amy Adams, or his hectic and dysfunctional marriage to Jennifer Lawrence, including her son. The first scene is non-chronological (it's actually half-way through the movie when this scene should actually happen) and from there onward until about half an hour in, American Hustle promised to be a smart and slickly entertaining con-movie.

But after making this first hurdle (and with flying colours, I might add) Hustle flounders. It managed to take many motifs that I personally enjoy (slick comedy, cool con-men, the 70's) and smash them to pieces, with an extraordinarily long run time and such boring storytelling that it was actually quite astounding that I didn't fall asleep. I nearly did, believe me.

Or maybe I'm just being cynical. There were a few decent laughs in there--Jennifer Lawrence and a Science Oven--and when the film was working, it really was working well. But it was almost as if the director (David O. Russel) wrote the good scenes, and then shoved the rest (about 3/4 of the film) as filler. Toward the end, I felt as though I was watching a farce. The plot thickened--as it should--but instead of bringing in moral dilemmas, unconsidered angles or the rarest breed, the catch-22, it just seemed to be so--outlandish? that as soon as Robert DeNiro showed up, I was sold on Hustle's terrific disappointment. I'd like to believe that this was purposeful, but considering that the whole thing was based on the real life ABSCAM FBI story, I can't kid myself.

It really is a shame. When it was good, it was good, but there simply isn't enough of that to save the film. I suppose the poor plot twists can be blamed on the actual events of ABSCAM (American Hustle is mostly a true story), but that's not an excuse. Maybe if the ABSCAM story included boring scenes and a farce about the FBI's middle men then clearly American Hustle should not have been attempted, or tarted up to be more flavoursome and palatable.

Overall the acting and the cast was solid, but the events of the film and the plot line were just too far gone to be saved by this. Jennifer Lawrence was probably the best character, and the kernels of humour really were funny, but they were too few and far apart. A diamond opal in the rough.


2.9/5