The World of the 70s Perfectly Done But Directors Chooses Characters Over Plot

Rating: 6/10 (7 September 2014)

Director David O. Russell takes viewers through the velvet suits and wood panel interiors of the 70's like it was yesterday. Wardrobe, set-design, and hair and make-up were all surprisingly well-done and added believability to this period piece (based on actual events surrounding the ABSCAM scandal). Actors Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence bring big star power to the film. Plus, the dialogue rings true and the characters are somewhat multifaceted. So what's missing from American Hustle? Perhaps it's that all these elements - even done to perfection - still aren't enough to make a really good movie from beginning to end.
American Hustle showcases the skills, intelligence and anxieties of life-long con man Irving Rosenfeld. Enter Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) his muse and prime love interest (aside from his wife played by Jennifer Lawrence). Director (and screenwriter) Russell cleverly keeps the audience (and characters) guessing as to what in their lives is real and what is fake (who's playing who). Predictably, Irving and Sydney find themselves in some trouble with the law - cue FBI agent Richie DiMaso (played by Bradley Cooper). Irving isn't without conscience and has some qualms about what Richie now wants them to do, but with his hands tied, he's forced to move forward with Richie's power-hungry ideas. Relationships amongst the characters develop and evolve until the film's conclusion. Taking pointers from Ocean's 11, both the movie's characters and audience learn the big reveals together.
So, it's kind of fun to watch Adams dance around in revealing dresses and to see Bale painstakingly tamper with his ridiculous comb-over hairdo - but it's not enough. A great movie moves at an unnoticeable pace. It flows through scenes effortlessly - it flies by in a delightful flash and you didn't even notice how much time went by at all. I checked the clock at least three times during American Hustle. Dialogue and plot in some instances played out unnecessarily slow and dragged down the other elements of the film that are well done. Despite some surprises at the end, this movie didn't hold my interest. Russell is known for strong characters and less for storyline development but this selective emphasis hurt the picture as a whole.