Hustle down to see this on the big screen

Rating: Null/10 (4 January 2014)

Critics are raving about American Hustle and I agree with them. David O. Russell has released his best film to date. Loosely based on the Abscam scandal, American Hustle is the story of small- time crook and con-man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale). He, along with his love interest and business partner Edith (Amy Adams), con and manipulate their way into a bust by nervous, twitchy, FBI Agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper).
Richie is tall and handsome. He's serious about his job and about his hair. Edith cons Richie while Richie makes Irving and Edith rat-out local politicians to avoid jail time for themselves. In the cross-fire we meet Mayor Carmine (Jeremy Renner), the only good character in the movie. Carmine is the mayor of Camden, NJ. He is a family man who is dedicated to making Atlantic City abundant with lots of job opportunities for his white and black constituency.
We also meet Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), Irving's bored, volatile, passive-aggressive wife.
The movie is fast-paced, energetic, and highly entertaining. You actually start to care for scumbags Irving and Edith. You also care for DiMaso though his hung-ho, hero cop routine is hurting a lot of people, including good-guy Mayor Carmine. All of the principles give stellar performances in American Hustle. Christian Bale shines as charismatic, confident, con-man Irving. Amy Adams does an excellent job as co-con and cop-con Edith. Bradley Cooper has never been better than he is here in the role of Richie DiMaso. He plays Richie's comic, tragic, nervous, high-anxiety, overly ambitious, sexy, bumbling character to perfection. This is Bradley Cooper's best performance since The Place Beyond The Pines. Jennifer Lawrence also steals every scene that David O. Russell writes for her to steal with her signature aggressive, loud, in-your-way manner. Jeremy Renner turns in a solid performance as set- up, good politician, Mayor Carmine.
Don't miss American Hustle. It is the second best movie of 2013.