Undoubtledly Brilliant

Rating: 8/10 (3 January 2014)

Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) is an intelligent and effective con artist that teams up with a very attractive former stripper, Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) in New York city. They soon find themselves in hot water after being set up by Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) a slightly crazy and overly ambitious FBI agent. In an attempt to keep their freedom they help DiMaso bring down corrupt politicians as well as the mobsters that seem to control them.
The movie relocates to New Jersey where the scam gets deeper and involves an Arabian sheik impostor, chest hair, lots of bling and some high maintenance 70s hairdos. The characters are extremely interesting and the viewing pleasure is provided by them rather than the scams themselves. Sex, affairs and a lot of flirting combined with Irving's gorgeous yet utterly disreputable wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) , provide us with as much character depth as one could hope for.
I was left with a sense of uncanny admiration similar to that of Oceans Eleven or Catch Me If You Can.
Once again David O. Russell knocks it out the park with another high end movie.
Highly recommended 8/10
MattRigby