2013 seems to have had quite a number of Martin Scorsese-influenced gangster films.
This summer, we had the De Niro/Pfeiffer-led “The Family.” This week, it’s the ensemble piece “American Hustle.” And next week, Scorsese’s own star-studded “The Wolf of Wall Street” will open nationwide.
But let’s travel back to 1978. Back to a New Jersey where Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper look extra tacky and have fake accents while running the real-life FBI-Abscam operation backed by classic rock and smooth jazz. David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” opens with the old Columbia studio logo from the 1970s and the text ‘Some of this actually happened.’ Already, we have the right satiric mood for this rather loosely based crime flick.
Bale and Adams play partners in crime and in love as Irving Rosenfeld and Sydney Prosser, who make a living out of convincing people to give them checks that they will put in a nonexistent bank account.
Sydney creates the fake alter-ego of London-based Edith Greensly and Irving moonlights as the owner of a dry cleaning company. When they get caught by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper), he blackmails them into a job that requires lying and stealing from the Mafia and from the unaware Camden, N.J., mayor, Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner).
Soon, a group of congressmen and a man called “the Sheik” are brought into the situation. And intimate feelings begin to arise between Richie and Edith.
Jennifer Lawrence plays Irving’s hilariously immature wife, Rosalyn, who loves to run her mouth and stick her nose into secrets. Jack Huston plays a mobster attracted to Rosalyn, while Alessandro Nivola, Louis C.K. and Michael Peña co-star as FBI insiders also involved in the job.
“American Hustle” could just be called a “Goodfellas” rip-off, but that would be unfair to the creators. Russell’s signature use of quick direction and smart-talking characters seeps through and is recognizable to his fans. The filmmaker can add another successful genre piece to his resumé, after “Three Kings” (1999), “The Fighter” (2010) and “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012).
His second round of collaborating with four of the main actors shows confidence, and Cooper’s and Adams’ comedy roots help guide the film to become a successful satire. Just as you feel like the story is about to get serious, someone cracks wise to bring you back into the satire.
Renner fits right in with the time period with his orange tan and easily convinces us he is a mayor that means well and has good intentions but lacks education.
Bale is nearly unrecognizable beneath his over-the-top toupee, beer belly and purple sunglasses. For once, the character actor lets his intense method style be not too extreme and he is quite amusing in the role.
Lawrence seamlessly steals all of her scenes portraying a woman completely opposite to her “Hunger Games” persona, Katniss Everdeen, that proves she’s here to stick around in film for a while.
“American Hustle” is heavy on the dialogue and character development, low on sex and drugs and one of the best ensemble pieces this season.
mbianco@durangoherald.com. Megan Bianco is a movie reviewer and graduate of Cal State University, Northridge, where she studied film criticism and screenwriting.
American Hustle
Columbia Pictures presents a film directed by David O. Russell. Written by Eric Singer and Russell. Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence. Running time: 138 minutes. Rated R (for pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence).
“American Hustle” is playing at Durango Stadium 9.
