A film on drugs. But sub par drugs... Potentially just sugar?

Rating: 6/10 (2 February 2014)

American Hustle is a film on drugs. But sub par drugs
Potentially just sugar?
Its hyperactivity sweats fun. So much FUN, that I sunk into a jealousy suffused funk. The on screen action jarred with my viewing experience. O'Russell is a connoisseur of artificial emotional explosions. We're served an I-can't-count-how-many-course meal of undiluted synthesis; A thematic on screen orgy. And yes it was that uncomfortable (Disclaimer- I do NOT speak from experience). The incessant barrage of bluntly delivered "Oh hey this is fake" was exasperating. The pinnacle of this irony contoured falsity was reached in a kiss under the coats scene. Plastic coat wrappings swirled around lovers in a delirium drenched dreamlike sequence. It was pretty. But the mid scene punctuation of "I felt I could be myself" was too cheeky. A sneaky tear may have been shed at the deathbed of subtlety. And this was just ten minutes in Point of irritation number two: The acting. Primarily, Bale was miscast. Even the almighty accrual of a gut failed to veil his uncomfortable knowledge of this. He portrayed his character without any discernible emotional attachment. It was insipid. However, 'un amigo mío' argued that this brought a childlike quality to the performance
NO. A child could not claim such a curiously botoxed style of acting. Similarly, Cooper well he was just Cooper, and the hair didn't make me laugh. Yet O'Russell's smothering presence was most acutely felt with the actresses. Amy Adams is talented (Go watch Junebug ye naysayers!); this talent was felt. And then O'Russell decides to detract from the delectable ambiguity of her character, tossing in a cheap British accent, Cunnilingus gags (I know) and banning the use of any dress which didn't exhibit TITS. And trust me that mandated capitalisation. Later, he doubles back and decides to abandon any provocative murkiness at all and reduce her role to template. Jennifer Lawrence's seething frailty was also asphyxiated by O'Russell's infatuation with everything hyperbolic. But hey, at least she looked like she had FUN. But not as much fun as anyone in Goodfellas, to which this farcical Xerox treads too close. Although hold up every one, am I being too mean? Perhaps. I suppose I should list some more balanced points; the score was phenomenal. The attention devoted to Ellington's Jeep's Blues is very much merited; it's an addictive brassy little number. And the music is only surpassed by the zealous recreation of the fashion, furniture and feathered locks. No doubt producers are currently embroiled in legal battles denying that the volume of hairspray used on set will hasten global warming (GO TEAM GREENPEACE!). American Hustle is flawed and I begrudge it for trying so overtly hard BUT, if only to gauge the depth of my bemusement that this is the bookies Oscars darling, you must book a cinema ticket.