Great mix of comedy and excellent acting

Rating: 9/10 (1 March 2014)

Watching this after 12 years a slave was an excellent choice since you can't help but be absorbed in this light-hearted movie filled with stars. Bale once again loses himself in the character as he is barely recognizable as the overweight, balding con-man. Amy Adams also delivers as his partner in crime, while wearing a wardrobe that would make Princess Giselle blush. Not having watched any of Jennifer Lawrence's award nominated performances in the past, I was worried that she might stick out like a sore thumb amongst the great actors. I was wrong, and she absolutely delivered at the same level as the rest of cast. Bradley Cooper also showed that he has some range, and had a great Louis CK impersonation. De niro, Renner, and Louis CK are all very good in their roles. The only thing weak about the movie is the plot and script, which wasn't as tight as could be. I felt that you are drawn to the strong performances, but there is no synergistic effect in terms of story. But after having read in the trivia section about how Russell encouraged improvisation by the actors, I could see why the movie feels like it does. Fortunately, he used that as a strength of the movie. I forgot to add that the movie has an amazing, almost Scorsese- esque soundtrack. Plus the camera work had some very cool shots where it would quickly move in on the actor's expressive face from a distance. As well, although Jennifer Lawerence was good, I still don't think that she deserved the Golden Globe. Lastly, the ice fishing story was great.