Great: 9.0

Rating: 9/10 (28 July 2019)

At the tail end of what has been an undeniably great year for movies, American Hustle is a fabulously entertaining mix of great performances, energetic direction, and black humor. Director David O. Russell has made what is arguably his best film yet, and considering that his previous works include The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook, that's a remarkable feat indeed. A semi-fictionalized account of the ABSCAM scandal of the early eighties, Hustle follows an overly-ambitious FBI agent (Bradley Cooper) who enlists the help of two expert con men (Christian Bale and Amy Adams) to expose a corrupt mayor (Jeremy Renner). What follows goes from being a relatively small-scale operation to roping in the American Mafia, a handful of state representatives, and a US Senator. All of which is presented with an abundance of wit and charm, brought on by the perfect cast and sharp script. Ultimately, despite the merest hints of incoherence, American Hustle is easily one of the year's best, a film that can be enjoyed by practically anyone old enough for the subject matter.