"I feel love." A love story, well, several, in fact.

Rating: Null/10 (7 January 2014)

"That's the boat, Donnie."
When FBI Agent Joe Pistone, posing as jewel-thief Donnie Brasco, and attempting to infiltrate the Mafia, wanted to impress Benjamin 'Lefty Guns' Ruggiero of the Bonanno Crime Family, he got the use of 'The Left Hand', a big boat that was being used in an FBI sting-operation called ABSCAM.
This film is not about Donny and Lefty, or the boat, or even about ABSCAM, rather it is very loosely based on the sting-operation.
Everything that I have heard about this film, the trailers that I saw, everything, made this reviewer want to see this film.
Film opens with a couple of studio credits. They look a little old and naff, and combined with the quality and the texture of the film, cause us to be immediately transported back to the seventies. There are no further opening credits, except one, which states "Some of this actually happened." Film is actually set right at the end of the seventies and the start of the eighties. In the seventies a device was invented for bald men. It was called 'The comb-over'. The opening shot of the movie is of Irving, a bald man, played by Christian Bale. He adjusts his hair before getting into his role. He is bald, fat, and middle aged. He is also working with Richie played by Bradley Cooper. Another man with an interesting hairstyle. Actress Amy Adams makes up the trio. She too will sport some spiffing hairstyles. Together they are trying to do a business deal, but things are not clear. They are in fact, running a con. Film now backtracks to explain how they got together.
This film is like 'Donnie Brasco' (1997). Like that film, this is as much about undercover work by the FBI as it is about the other subject matter. So we see, like FBI Agent Pistone did, the problems associated with running an undercover operation in that era. Decades later FBI Agent Joaquin Garcia, aka 'Big' Jack Falcone of the Gambino Crime Family, would similarly struggle. How Pistone and Garcia must wish they could've sorted out their problems in real-life as happened in this film.
The job of the con-artist is to exude confidence, to convince the person they are dealing with, that they are the genuine article, that what you see is what you get, whilst all along it is not. The same applies to undercover-work by FBI Agents. This film, like 'Donny Brasco', has arguments, betrayals, confrontations, and dangerous exposure threats. It is unclear who is conning who.
However, we the audience, know more than the actors/players. We know that the con is on. Know too that the FBI is involved. So we know more than the marks and can enjoy seeing the actors in their dual roles. They had dual roles in real-life too. Jeremy Renner has a very poignant role. It was in fact specially written for him due to casting problems. Bale, Cooper, and Renner, were all cast for more than one role. So not only were they acting two roles in one part, in real life they switched parts too.
Thus this, in 'American Hustle', was not deliberate, it just happened, but it must enhance the film. So too, that much of the film is improvised, this was deliberate, perhaps it was to capture the feeling of the con. Film then is like a con, it is unclear what will happen next, improvisation is always a possibility.
The film was written and directed by David O. Russell who also did the great 'Silver Linings Playbook' of 2012. Both films share that same mix of comedy, drama and romance. Writer/Director Russell also reunites some of the cast of 'SLP'. Jennifer Lawrence who was so good in that, here again gives a superb performance. She plays a young mother who is stupid, sassy, sexy and sultry. The role is comparable to that of Sharon Stone in 'Casino' (1995). We have too, Bradley Cooper of course, who even gives us another dance. Robert De Niro, also puts in an appearance with a great performance.
In real-life Christian Bale added over 40LBS to his weight for his role. When Robert De Niro met him he didn't even recognize him. However all actors, with parts large and small, were all great.
This film has been described as a 'fictionalization'. A google after viewing the film, showed me that the film is somewhat different from the source material, but not in a major way.
In real-life New Jersey has been described as the most corrupt state in the USA. In real-life too, the casinos brought Atlantic City back to life. An era captured well in 'Atlantic City, USA' (1980).
In this film the characters are less black and white, less good guys and bad guys. The colouring is much more that of shades of grey. The dividing line is not clear.
This is a great film. In the style that Martin Scorsese created, we have apt use of period music. Actors play characters who exhibit much warmth, and as they exude great love to each other, so do we fall in love with them. But be warned: just like Jennifer Lawrence's nail-varnish, this film too is bitter-sweet. We too will experience the highs and lows as do the characters. Having said that there are some nice twists. Some clever twists too. This is after all a con film. So do try to keep your eye on the ball.
The only mistakes in this film are, one badly placed moustache (I can thank Donny and Lefty for spotting that) and two badly delivered lines. Not enough to mark this film down for.
"Hey, did they get us? We're sitting here, Left. We beat those FBI guys!"
The con is on. Enjoy! 10/10.