Average at best, but what I expected for certain

Rating: 6/10 (12 February 2014)

I was very, very sceptical about American Hustle. It seems to me that every year there is one of these films that critics love, there is all kinds of buzz about and it nails a whole bunch of Oscar nominations. I knew from the trailers exactly what I would think of this. I expected something very "Argo" like which was okay but the furthest thing from what I thought was a "Best Picture" contender. Well I was entirely right in my initial expectations...sort of. At the half way mark of American Hustle I was actually quite impressed. It was a little bit artsy and bizarre and the cast of characters are way out there and in your face but it was entertaining me for sure. It was just weird enough that it still had me watching intently. Then it continued...and continued...and continued and had to keep pushing itself further and further until the pacing was nearly excruciating and any redeemable performances were ruined by pushing the characters too far. What is left by the end is a very different sort of crime thriller about a group of characters that are diverse and strange and ridiculous (in a mostly good way.) This film was made to appeal to critics and the Academy and it accomplished that so who am I to bash it.
The cast is definitely an ensemble cast and impresses as much as it does takes it too far. Do I agree with the main cast getting Oscar nominations? No not really. I don't see anything particularly moving or unique about any of the performances. They are certainly over the top, perhaps satirical (I hope so for their sake) and often ridiculous but they work for the context of the movie. Christian Bale absolutely transforms himself into a fast talking con-man with a terrible comb-over and huge pot belly. He is probably the best of the cast and gives the least silly performance though he does have some outrageous moments too. Amy Adams is sort of landing on my more annoying than appreciated list. She shows up so much lately and I just don't find her "that" good. She was actually decent in this and her and Bale have good chemistry. I don't feel as though she particularly takes off in the role but she definitely does a good job. Bradley Cooper is absolutely over the top, ridiculous and incredibly whiny as the FBI man determined to catch his big break. I don't mean to say he isn't good in the role because I think the character was meant to be ridiculous and whiny. Still he got really irritating by the end of the film and I was simply tired of his character and that's not a good sign for a movie. Jennifer Lawrence, as she always is, was a shining beacon in this film. She has a small role comparably to everyone else but its a terrific, sarcastic, biting role that was simply fun. She really is stunning when she's on screen. Jeremy Renner was also pretty good in a smaller supporting role. I'm not a huge fan of his either but he was sparingly used in this and yet his character was vital to the big picture and he didn't get in the way of the story. Michael Peña and Louis C.K. deserve mention as well in very small almost cameo level roles. Speaking of cameos, watch for a barely recognizable and uncredited Robert DeNiro immediately upping the ante in a small cameo role that was fun.
The movie wasn't a bad movie. It was an okay movie. Perhaps if it wasn't getting SO much critical acclaim and Oscar nominations I would go easier on it but because so many love it I have to pick it a part even more. David O. Russell is sort of hit and miss for me. He's a very talented writer and director and I have enjoyed some of his stuff but then every once in awhile I find him just too forcefully artsy for me. Its like he goes out of his way to appeal to critics and I can't respect that. I feel like movies are for the general audiences and for entertainment and if you're specifically trying to appeal to critics then shame on you. American Hustle feels like one of those movies. How exactly does Amy Adams sitting on a toilet and randomly screaming into the air make sense? Or the gratuitous and pointless lust filled scenes with Cooper and Adams? It doesn't play into the story that very successfully sets itself up for a great crime thriller in the first half and then is reduced to a silly, satire by the second part. Amongst a TON of very worthy competitors, American Hustle should be way down the list of potential winners in my book. Its worth seeing but honestly I won't even remember I watched it by tomorrow. It was all around average at best. 6/10