Review : American Hustle

AMERICAN HUSTLE

Big Lights, Big City, The year is 1970. A con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive British partner, Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild FBI agent, Richie DiMaso. It is then that they realise they got themselves in for more than they bargained for. 

Hey All

Welcome to my newest Film review which is of American Hustle, directed by David O Russell, the film gives a back drop into the lives of a group of people who get themselves in for more than they bargained for.

The film itself, I wasn't particularly bothered about to start off with, but once it started it didn't take me too long to get into the rhythm of things in terms of what was going on and what was happening. All the main characters were presented really well. You could tell who was who and their part in the story. 

Judging on story alone. This film is disastrously bad. The pacing of it seems to me like a plain crash. It starts off really well, before crashing down hard to the ground. In terms of endearment this film has, it has its highlights in places, but a lot of it is disastrously dull. The other supporting characters were more pointless than the plot as they had not alot to do with the story.

Being Parsholey critical I must admit, going into a review and instantly attacking the film before pointing out what I liked about or what the stories about. However I feel the need to be blaintly honest and say what I think. I think it's not a great film, it's very poor. The main cast are excellent and without them there really wouldn't be anything recognisable about and therefore resulting in a poorer production.

I did find it difficult to understand David O Russell's directing techniques. He obviously has his own way of directing his films, but I just didn't really understand his directions and positions with his camera angles. It just seemed all the more irrelevant to me. It's like a blocked out signal. I couldn't quite tune in.

Anyway going into detail of 'American Hustle' its a fictional film set in the alluring world of one of the most stunning scandals to rock our nation. Set in the 70's American Hustle tells the story of con man Irving Rosenfeld, who along with his equally cunning and seductive British partner Sydney Prosser is forced to work for an FBI agent Richie DiMaso.

DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and in the pocket of the mafia that's as dangerous as it gets. Into that you got Carmine Polito, the passionate, volatile, New Jersey political operator who is caught inbetween the con-artists and the Feds. Aswell as that you have Irving's unpredictable wife Rosalyn who is the one to pull the thread that brings the entire world crashing down. 

So already in there you got the workings of a good story, the concepts there. But presented in a very dire and irregular way to me, it would seem. For those of you who did enjoy it, I can understand why, there is nice conspiracy bits in there, there's narcasim and intense moments of fine acting from your leading cast members. However despite all of that, The cons out score the pros for me. 

I just didn't enjoy the film that much. Which is fair enough. It works for some people, it doesn't for others.

 

What the film does pull off really well, is the set. The set is brilliant, the lighting is fantastic, very carefully co-ordinated and thought through. Lots of mild and mature colouring to indice the audience into thinking what there seeing on the screen is indeed a story with a 70's backdrop and depth to it.

The costumes are excellent also. Like The Great Gatsby does it David O Russell does what Baz Lurhman did with The Great Gatsby and convinces the audience, that they are, where they are. 1970. he communicates this through make up, hair, accessories, dresses, suits, colour and perseverance in detail in the settings. the choice of locations were fantastic. 

Certain members of the main cast that stood out to me where Bradley Cooper who I thought was very good in the film, was a very good supporting actor for Christian Bale.

And Jennifer Lawrence as a supporting actress was a lot better than Amy Adams, sadly I felt she didn't do enough in the film, which disappointed me a little, because Jennifer Lawrence is great.

 Is this film worth a watch? Not at the cinema. I'd recommend watching it on DVD or one the TV. It's not worth the time going to the cinema to watch it.

I will give this film a 5/10. deeply disappointed with this.

NEXT: I will review 'Cuban Fury' starring Nick Frost, Rashida Jones, Chris O Dowd and Ian McShane.

Thanks for reading this guys and stay up to date with the blog.