Interesting Movie

Rating: 7/10 (19 November 2014)

I did enjoy watching this film. I am openly nostalgic for the '70's, although I was around two years old when they ended. I was unfamiliar with the scandal the film explores and it was interesting to learn about it. I feel this movie compares and contrasts the characters of Irving (Christian Bale) vs. Richie (Bradley Cooper) as men, while doing the same with Sydney (Amy Adams) vs. Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence)as women, not in light of the values of the '70s, but according to current attitudes and social values. The movie seems to pose the question "Who is the better man/ woman?" and ultimately, but weakly, seems to settle on Irving and Sydney.
As a teenager, my world view was shaped by a book called The Lonely Crowd, which explained that modern life was increasingly shaped by "other-directed-ness" as opposed to "inner-directed-ness" of traditional American life. In short, while the Victorian was guided by an inner moral compass and was the ultimate judge of his own success or failure, the modern American is judged on a social plane and on how his or her behavior is viewed socially. I was reminded of this book while watching the movie. Irving and Sydney are "heroes" as con people because they are good at reading and responding to social cues and using them to succeed. Rosalyn's and Irving's marriage is presented as not as "real" as Irving and Sydney's affair, because our modern values see relational feelings as more substantial than a more traditional view of the sanctity of marriage. Rosalyn is a stay at home mom, but that is presented negatively vs. Sydney's "career" as a con woman, which again, reflects our values and not the '70s view of homemakers. Richie is also seen in a more negative light than Irving, because he is not as good at perceiving the social reality; he is over emotional and brutish, he cannot "seal the deal" with Sydney or his career.
Visually, the movie has fun with the '70s wardrobe. Amy Adams looks a bit too modern while the male characters are dressed in styles which are now regarded as tacky, from Bradley Cooper's "Mr. Brady" perm to Jeremy Renner's plaid coat. Amy Adams' body becomes almost a character itself, with her ever present plunging neck line and as her physical flirtation with Bradly Cooper leads his character off track professionally. Jeremy Renner somehow manages to make his pompadour and plaid coat look great and appropriate, but poor Christian Bale looks terrible in his "rapist" glasses and messy balding 'do. Combined with his harsh accent, I find it difficult to believe that he could be a successful con man, as I don't see how anyone would trust him. In fact, he looks like an illustration in the dictionary that might appear next to the word "con man." The movie does seem to celebrate his social savvy, but we see little evidence of his "wisdom," except his vague idea of "hey, maybe we should stay away from these mafia guys" in the scenes with Robert De Niro.
I enjoyed watching this movie and I feel it raises great questions, but it reflects 2013 and not any year of the '70s. We are fascinated by the '70s because things have changed so much. The movie is memorable for the performances of the cast. Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K., and Jeremy Renner all did great jobs as supporting players.