8 Pairs of Legs (Out of 10)

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2013)

If This Film Had Siblings: Boogie Nights, Blow
Pros: Strong Performances by Ensemble Cast, Great Score, 70s Time Capsule, Strong Ending
Cons: At times Draggy, Play Dress-up
American Hustle brings to the screen an untold scandal of the 70s. It stars The Legs of Amy Adams with Cameo appearances by Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams. I'm not one to complain, but I"m still trying to figure out who The Legs paid off for such a prominent role.
Now let's get down to the brass tax. A very entertaining dramatic ride with outstanding performances and many laughs. David O. Russell has a gift to get the best out of his actors. Jennifer Lawrence is considered to be the 'showstopper' according to most pundits, but for my money, the performance by Bale was tops. You feel like you can see the cogs churning through Bale's eyes as he tries to manage the situations. Bale's layers of stress are a burden upon the viewer. The other performances seemed to operate on one plane when compared to Bale.
Now there are items that some of us will never be able to fully comprehend. Like for example, is the FBI really that dumb? The story moves fast and at times it feels like it could blow down with a gust of wind. The score is fantastic with its use of popular songs from the 70's. The musical interludes really add character to the film. And the opening musical montage gets you ready for the ride (I had goosebumps).
Time to go heat up some dinner in my science oven. See more at: seizethefilm.blogspot.com/