Mediocre yet not quite bad

Rating: 6/10 (26 December 2013)

I don't usually try to buy into hype. It's led to some underwhelming results, both in life and in following the film industry. Life is full of disappointments.
Around a year ago, I posted my review for Silver Linings Playbook, joking about how with an all-star cast and a notable director, a film can still fail (even though I do like Silver Linings). Here we are, a year later, with a film more star-studded than Elton John's wardrobe that manages to be a disappointment on a number of levels, one of which being the acting.
Christian Bale is fantastic in his role as a leading con man, and while I never considered him particularly charismatic, he definitely retains that quality with Hustle. Bradley Cooper does what Bradley Cooper is supposed to do, and Jeremy Renner is fine, but the rest of the parts fall short on a number of levels. Amy Adams in particular is a letdown, with many of her lines seeming forced or clumsy. Jennifer Lawrence can't determine how to make facial expressions half of the time, and it's not due to "indecisiveness"; it's a matter of not portraying emotions properly.
But still, Hustle retains an interesting plot that is ultimately lacking in depth but it makes up for it somewhat with scattered humour and The Big Sleep-esque plot maneuvering. I'm not one to complain about not sympathizing with lead characters, but I didn't sympathize with the lead characters. Yes, we see how an unexpected couple fall in love, and how someone from that couple falls in love with another, who is in love with another, who may or may not be in love with another, etc. There is no depth, however, to these relationships. There's a reason why the love- triangle is one of the most popular plot devices; it appeals to a broad audience, it creates plot tension, but also it allows for thematic depth. There is none of this in Hustle.
Still, the biggest issue with Hustle is perhaps its script. It seems like the script a 20 year old film buff would write. For some people, that's great. For me, I expect more out of my films than something oozing clichés and immature dialogue (immature as in lacking depth). The reason why Tarantino is an excellent writer is because he recognizes these tropes and is able to channel them into his highly unique style. Russel simply churns out a mediocre script that attempts to beat the audience over the head with the plot.
It's entertainment enough, however, and the costumes are convincing as is the makeup. Watching Christian Bale for an extended amount of time is always a good thing. But I couldn't see myself recommending it on any serious level beyond that.