Casino - Part 2

Rating: 4/10 (31 December 2013)

In "Casino" Scorsese made a strong film in film technique and narrative. "American Hustle" is essentially another version of that film in its form and how it plays out. The result, though, is a film without any originality, or new ideas, in any way at all.
This takes a standard double cross storyline and uses all the obvious devices to tell the story using reliable and traditional forms such as voice-over to tell the narrative and back story, not to embellish, but just tell the story. It then adds music from the era in a cookie cutter form to gild montage sequences.
On top of that add 1978 costumes, hairstyles and hairpieces and those huge cars and the recipe is complete. This is high on style but it's all been seen several times before. The camera moves in regulation turns and the final result is convincing. Yes, it's fine; it's even very good, if you've never seen it all done before.
There is no reason to avoid this movie; it is quite well made, but equally there is no reason to watch it either. It just shows what it takes to be bankrolled now to make a second rate copy of another movie made almost 20 years ago.