James Fazzaro

I finally went to see AMERICAN HUSTLE today, and it was well worth the wait. (Not the trailers though, every single one failed to register, but that’s their problem.) David O Russell has delivered a very darkly funny and often quite hysterical film about con artists and those who would use them for their own ends. The whole all-star cast is great, with Christian Bale and Amy Adams as the main cons, Bradley Cooper as the Fed who wishes to squeeze them for his own personal ambitions, Jennifer Lawrence as Bale’s wild card wife with her own con going on, and lots of great supporting roles by Jeremy Renner, Robert DeNiro, Louis C.K., Michael Pena, many of whom have worked with Mr. Russell in prior films. After an admittedly slowish start, the odds keep stacking up and the stakes escalate. I had this constant wicked grin spread across my face and many titterings of laughter escaped my lips. It may not be a deep picture but it was certainly a real hoot to watch, and everyone was having a good time. Recommended!