This movie is no con.

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2013)

American Hustle tilts its head high and proud to lead the pack of ambitious, brilliant movies of 2013 to their fate on Oscar night. But why does American Hustle feel so highly of itself? and why does it seem even more likely that David O. Russel has created his cinematic magnum opus? The answer is, he just did.
American Hustle is without a shadow of a doubt the best picture that David O. Russel could ever make, and that says a whole lot due to the caliber of excellence already under his belt. Its a sprawling epic of a crime movie that hearkens back to some of the greatest cinematic techniques utilized by Scorsese and Altman. Its a brilliant screenplay of sorts that only increases with cultural flair and dramatic tension with every frame. Its easy to really pin down the plot of the film since this certainly isn't the first time a movie has been made about successful and or unsuccessful con men in the midst of their "crime of the century". But what makes this movie shine the most is its performances, which are without a doubt the greatest of the year, or any year.
Christian Bale is absolutely flawless. I want to say its his greatest, but movies like The Fighter and American Psycho challenge that theory.. and perhaps this role simply didn't trump those roles. But I think we can agree, it stands proudly among the two aforementioned roles. Amy Adams is captivating as a ferociously sexy redhead with an insatiable appetite for conning the people she holds closest to her. Jennifer Lawrence soars as the dimwitted wife of Christian Bale who just about ruins every possible chance of keeping this highly secretive con successful. But it was Bradley Cooper who shines the brightest in this masterpiece. This is the greatest role of his career. You could guarantee that this will bring him home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He's simply unbelievable as an unnervingly demented crooked cop on the verge of a mental breakdown.
American Hustle is an American treasure. That being said, I think it absolutely has a lock on many Oscars on Oscar night. However, so does Four Years a Slave. Regardless, do not miss your chance of seeing this film in the theater.