American Hustle

And the Oscar for worst hair goes to...

                             Bradley Cooper embraced the Scouse culture when moving to Liverpool

DIRECTOR: David O. Russell

CAST: Batman, Rocket Raccoon, Lois Lane, Hansel the witch hunter, every man's current obsession, Louie, Boardwalk Empire's Richard Harrow and Eli Thompson, Will Jimeno, the Arab from La Haine and Jack Tiberius Byrnes...

PLOT: Loosely based on an FBI operation during the 1970s and 80s, a group of American hustlers plan on catching politicians partaking in acts of corruption.

How do you get people to root for dirty, lying, cheating, sleazy hustlers that con desperate people out of their hard earned, last dollops of cash? You get them to hustle dirtier, lying-er, cheating-er, sleazier hustlers... also known as politicians.

Because despite the awful hair, the monstrous fashion, and the inability to operate "science ovens", American Hustle is astonishingly more relevant today than it ever was. All over the western world, the media is dominated by expense scamming politicians taking money that doesn't belong to them and using it to build moats for their ducks in the back garden of their Eton mansions or whatever ever the frack they wastefully need to indulge on.

This is key to making our characters likeable, because if they were hustling anyone who was a smidgen more tolerable than politicians, then we wouldn't be able to support what 'Irving' (a pot-bellied, unfit Christian Bale - once again demonstrating his passion for acting with his constant extreme change in physique), 'Sydney' (a wonderful Amy Adams who should teach fellow American actors on how to perfect the English accent) and FBI agent 'Richie' (becoming an O. Russell regular with his recent career rejuvenation) were doing to their unsuspecting victims.

                                            I've... I've got nothing - this shot is just perfect

This gives room for our actors to perform to their filthiest and still be considered human. For all of the shit that they pull, even on the people that don't deserve it, it is veiled by the sublime performances by all involved, completely warranting the best actor noms they have been scooping up this awards season, and by an expertly witty script penned by O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer. For a film that could have stuck in the odd gunfight or elaborate punch-up, the makers always steer clear, and instead rely on their actors and their script to make a film that is essentially over two hours of talking. But for all of the talking, there are moments when you think that this could possibly make a strong television series due to still having to rely on an abundance of voiceovers that become overwhelming during the first act.

However, with so many prestigious directors seemingly turning to television, we shouldn't complain too much about O. Russell for sticking to the medium of film, else soon we'll have nobody left. To fit in so much exposition into the time constraints is a success in itself, as this film could have easily dragged on to the three hour mark. Yet despite fitting in so much story and dialogue, the pacing is always perfect, never rushing too quickly. Each character is given their moments, and the montage sequences are wonderfully constructed, helped out by possibly the best soundtrack of any film that is eligible for awards season.

It's not quite David O. Russell's finest film (many will still argue the case for Three Kings, The Fighter or Silver Linings Playbook), as sometimes the full possibility of the danger and threat that our characters are under isn't fully put across. And despite a film receiving so many nominations moving well clear of any accusations of being pretentious or showing off, due to the minimalist and standard approach of the cinematography and editing, there still probably won't be many complaints if the film loses out in the best picture category at the Academy Awards due to the amount of quality from the competition. But chances are O. Russell won't give a toss, because he's made another doozy of a film that once again cements his position as one of the most consistent filmmakers in the business today, and continues to attract the sort of casts that any film director could only wish for, despite holding the controversial reputation of being an arsehole on set. If being an arsehole makes you this talented, though, then sign me up.

Wait, what? I'm already signed up? Where's my talent then? Fuck this...

* * * * ½