imperfect but very hard to deny

Rating: Null/10 (21 December 2013)

An actor's movie if there ever was one, a part-true, part-fictionalized account of scandal, deception, manipulation, and justice all set during the glitzy 1970s, with colorful characters including a slick con artist, his seductive mistress and partner in crime, a firebrand federal agent, a self-righteous mayor, and the con man's wild card wife all thrown into the mix, all connected in one way or another to the behind-the-scenes greed and machinations of American politics. A smörgåsbord of pure acting ability, interesting characters, effective twists, brilliant dialogue that recalls Tarantino, and plenty of tense, heated exchanges and character interactions that test the limits of each actor's ability. A bit on the long side, and not always easy to follow, but darkly humorous and always engaging, though the plot caves in at the end and seems much too formulaic for a film that is anything but conventional. It's difficult to identify a true standout because every actor (Bale, Cooper, Adams, Renner, Lawrence, et al) is sensational across the board. One of director Russell's most memorable films to date, who shoehorns in major actors from two of his previous works, and yet still somehow finds a way for all of them to shine. ***