So far, the best film of the year

Rating: 9/10 (11 January 2014)

This is a tight movie. The acting is tight, the story is tight, and the direction is tight. There are no loose ends, nothing unnecessary, and no lapses in acting. In short, this is as close to a perfectly made movie as I've seen for some time. I would suspect a number of Academy Award nominations to come from this film. I would especially note Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence's performances, but all of the acting is outstanding down to the lowest member of the supporting cast. I would be very surprised if David O. Russell is not nominated for best director. Best picture? Well, so far, I've seen nothing better. Even the music that adds to the late 1970's/80's atmosphere is well-chosen.
Since the story is so tightly put together, you really don't want to go out to feed the dog or you're likely to miss some fine point that will leave you wondering what's going on when you return. The story itself is not demanding but the motivation behind the characters' actions requires some build up. The relationships are strange but believable.
Don't expect a serious drama. Yes, it has its serious elements but there is ample humor here, though it is admittedly somewhat offbeat humor. Nonetheless, I guarantee you will get some good laughs.
So, why not give it ten stars? That's more of a subjective point. My scale is absolute, meaning that a ten star movie has to have qualities that put it well beyond other films. Will it endure? Will people consider it a classic 20 years from now? Could you watch it multiple times without getting bored, even when you know the ending? Does it have philosophical depth that illuminates principles beyond the film itself? Actually, I did watch this a second time. I wanted to look more closely at the interactions between the characters. It held up on the second viewing. I appreciated the acting even more than I did on the first viewing. In 20 years, I may even upgrade my rating to ten stars, but, for now, let me just say that this is one you should watch.