DVD Movie Review - American Hustle

American Hustle seamlessly blends late 1970's clothing, fashionable hair, outrageous dialogue, and subtle humor for a masterful work of cinema fiction.

STORY:

Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) a level-headed con man teams up with the sensual over-achieving Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) to create a bank loaning firm called London Associates.  Everything about the new firm screams legitimate, except every cheery investor never makes any money and never, ever gets any of their initial investment back.  Making London Associates the greatest con ever pulled by Irving.  So what's the problem?  One, Sydney is in love with Irving, but he has a wife, a house, and an adopted son, rendering their relationship a tad troubling.  And two, an FBI agent named Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), gets wind of the duo's business practices and decides to try and make a name for himself.  Pompadours, piano playing cats, dirty dancing, and science-ovens ensue.

"You keep shaking your head no, but it's true.  There's a bird stuck up in my hair somewhere, and 

I intend to find it.  Now, I'll ask again.  Will you help me?"

THOUGHTS:

David O. Russell from Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter returns with almost every member from each cast, creating an ensemble of talent and word-slinging just shy of greatness.  From Bale's horrific comb-over and sheer sloppiness, to fantastic music like "How can you mend a broken heart" from the Bee Gees, there's a lot to love about American Hustle.

This film easily lets you see what the next two hours will be like in the first five minutes.  It starts in almost absolute silence as Christian Bale works his fabulous comb-over in the mirror, using wrist flicks to thicken the hair and all kinds of adhesives to keep it perfectly in place.  Background music kicks in and Bradley Cooper appears saying, "If I wanted to bother you, this is what I'd do," and completely wrecks the complicated comb-over.  If that opening doesn't make you chuckle, crack a smile, or even let out a sniff, then you might be in for a very long, non-humorous movie.  Some viewers may also find the plot slightly hard to follow.  And that's why it's just shy of greatness.  But if the opening scene does tickle your fancy, then you'll love this film.

"What is that...Elmer's?"

The Batman (Bale) is superb here.  No, he doesn't wear any tight black outfits and he also doesn't have a voice that mimics an old stuttering car engine.  He's fat and hairy, but has an air of confidence about him that women can't seem to get enough of.  He pulls off a con man/thief easily, and you'll find yourself rooting for him throughout the story, even though he's stealing people's money to pay for his own bills and entertainment.  Adding to Bale's perfect acting is his comb-over, which becomes a gag and star in and of itself.  There's a scene where Irving is attempting to have a conversation, but the comb-over won't stop coming undone.  Bale's facial expressions and behavior are impeccable in the over-the-top situation.

Breaking News: the first picture of the Batman surfaces after spending just a year with Selina Kyle. 

It has now been confirmed that yes, she does like to cook.

Amy Adams is the seductress of the film, wearing skin tight, almost see-through outfits that'll keep most men's eyes everywhere but on her face.  Even though most of her films cast her as the cute, naive girlfriend, she falls into the English accent and man-eater profile without a hitch.  Cooper's childish tendencies and silly behavior from Silver Linings comes back here, alongside a hint of eagerness and too much ambition without any intelligence to back it up.  Jennifer Lawrence is phenomenal as Irving's nutty housewife that has freakish fire fetishes and missing morals, but somehow manages to control every man she meets.  Her scenes (the "flowers and garbage" nail polish for example) are short, but they'll be the ones you'll remember.  Jeremy Renner dons a humongous pompadour and plays lovable Mayor Carmine Polito.  He has a hilarious accent mixed with terrible ethics, and an amazing ability to help needy people with only stolen money.  His duet scene with a fat, drunken Bale singing Tom Jones' "My Delilah" is charming, disgusting, and side-splitting all at the same time.  And Bobby De Niro pops in for a strenuous cameo, while Louis C. K. gets leg humped by a hysterical laughing Cooper.

"Shh...shh, it's okay.  It's okay.  These curlers may look like a mistake now, but in a few hours 

you won't be able to keep your hands off me.

To make it very easy on you, if you liked Silver Linings Playbook and thought it hilarious at times, then you'll love American Hustle.  The appealing qualities of SLP are mixed with wit and subtle humor, making the real star of the film the writing and dialogue.  So keep your ears open, because some of the crap falling out of the actor's mouths is too whimsical to let slip by.  On top of that, each and every actor/actress in the story appears to be having a ton of fun on set and in character, giving the movie a comical, charismatic tone.  Even though the plot can be heavy-handed at times and become somewhat convoluted, just sit back and enjoy the goofiness of it all.  By the end all the subplots and different meandering routes come together in a nice outlandish package.

"He jammed a fork in my eye!"

"Yes, but I did it out of love and respect."

CONCLUSION:

American Hustle does away with action sets or mystery plot lines and instead, relies on superb dialogue, funny situations, fantastic acting, and a hilarious time period to keep your attention.  If you loved Silver Linings Playbook, then this film is a no-brainer.  American Hustle is the perfect blend of phenomenal cast, music, story, and wit.  There is a chance that it may be a tad slow to some viewers or slightly hard to follow, but either way, American Hustle isn't the type of movie to be missed.

4.5 out of 5 Stars (minus 1/2 Star for a slightly convoluted plot)

DVD Movie Review - Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook can be summed up by two words: tragically charming.  The film portrays the realness of mental illness, but tends to stay on the upbeat side of the coin, using humor and a love story to keep the plot moving.

I learned three things while watching this film:

1) Jennifer Lawrence isn't as bad an actress as once perceived.

2) Bradley Cooper had an Oscar ripped out of his hands.

3) I've missed Chris Tucker.

"Wait...are you telling me you hired the chick from the Hunger Games?  That movie was ridiculous,

and her acting...atrocious."

STORY:

Pat (Bradley Cooper) who suffers from bipolar disease, has been recently released from a health institution due to a legality his mother found.  Still in high hopes of gaining back his wife's love, Pat decides to find the silver lining in life by staying healthy and getting everything he lost—a wife, house, family, friends—back.  When he meets town nympho, Tiffany, crazy dialogue, hilarious dancing, and heartwarming moments ensue.

"Hahaha...this isn't what it seems.  I'm just out for a drive with two mental patients, is all."

THOUGHTS ON WHY PEOPLE DISLIKED IT:

There are a ton of people who disliked the way mental illness was portrayed in this film, thus disliking the film itself.  And though mental illness is a serious matter, most felt as though it wasn't handled with respect, as the movie has too many funny scenes, and ends on a positive note, instead of being more realistic. 

I understand your pain and how you felt as though the film was making fun of people with mental illness, but you have to understand one thing: if the film was a realistic documentary covering bipolar disease, and stayed true to life showing that there may not be a winning combination to its defeat, not nearly as many people would have watched it—me included.  And not because I don't care, but because when I watch a movie, I do so to take myself out of the reality of true life.  True life stinks.  It's depressing, mean, uncaring, and never gives a crap about whether you're having a bad day or not.  So why the hell do I want to watch a movie that'll make me more depressed than normal?  I'd rather watch a movie that Hollywood ended on a good note, so I don't have to throw myself off the closest bridge after it’s over.

Crap. I shouldn't of ate that fourth bean burrito, after downing a 24 pack of Miller.

MOVIE THOUGHTS:

I watched the Hunger Games and thought Jennifer Lawrence was the worst actor/actress I've ever seen, coming second only to Hutcherson.  An “A-Class” doorknob, if you will.  But it seems somewhere deep inside, living dormant was an acting skill worthy of an award, and it took a great director to find it.  Was her performance Oscar worthy?  Considering the competition at the Oscars, I'd lean toward yes.  Was it the best I've ever seen?  No, but it was leaps and bounds better than the block of wood she portrayed in the Hunger Games.

Bradley Cooper must have been lumped over the head, because his Oscar was ripped from of his hands, and there was no fighting involved.  I saw Lincoln, and aside from standing, sitting, standing, and then sitting again, Daniel Day-Lewis did absolutely nothing Oscar worthy, except portray a President everyone likes these days.  Cooper on the other hand, portrayed an unknown man that should be medicated, so you do the math. 

"Are you saying he stole your Oscar?  You want me to break his frigging kneecaps?"

Cooper's Pat was downright hilarious, tragic and lovable, all at the same time.  Being able to deliver lines that fast and react that well to other dialogue, was something of genius.  If you find humor in many things, than Pat’s mannerisms and dialogue will have you laughing out loud one minute and feeling terrible the next, displaying a perfect balance between funny and sad.  Some people could say that his acting was over the top, but that's what made it great.  Pat being totally unfiltered and uncaring led to unexpected scenes that made me almost choke on my popcorn.

Damn I miss Chris Tucker.  He was well cast in the film as Pat's friend from the institution.  Having choice scenes where he would pop in and out, broke up the humor, by having you laugh at someone other than Cooper for a change.  I'm glad to see him back, hopefully next time it'll be for a bigger role, where we can get the full effect of his high voice and great facial expressions.

"Man, don't bring up the time we stole those drugs, and then passed out naked on 

the lawn at the institution. My girl's right here. Damn"

SCENES: (minor spoilers—read at your own risk)

When the movie starts it had a serious tone and I wondered if that vibe would be carried throughout, that is...until Ernest Hemingway's book went flying out the window.  I knew right there I was in for an unforeseen treat.  It showed the film had the ability to balance humor and drama.  And then the scene that follows the broken window, with Pat waking his parents up at 4am to tell them how much he hated the novel, and then proceeding to apologize, not for himself, but for Hemingway—priceless.

"I've beaten and buried men in the desert for less..."

THE MUSIC:

Have you ever watched a movie and heard that one song that'll stand out forever because of one specific scene?  That's what "Girl from North Country" will now be for me.  I thought it was perfectly placed and just a stellar selection for the dance montage.  Not to mention the rest of the music is fantastic in the movie, including the song that humorously sets Pat off.  Well done.

"And the next American Idols are..."

MORE THOUGHTS:

Even though it has great dialogue and unexpected character actions, the film is adorned with the typical Hollywood style plot.  At about 1/3 into the movie, you can and will be able to predict the ending, and maybe even call the slight twist.  But if the movie didn't end the way you expected, you might have felt cheated and probably would've hated it.  So, for those who thought the plot was over the top—did you really want it to end on a sour note?  Why?  Can't a story (and by story, I mean a full-fledged fabricated accounting of events) be fun and uplifting, instead of real and frigging tragically depressing?

"It's okay, only about half the world saw the Hunger Games.  I'm sure most people 

already forgot about your terrible performance."

CONCLUSION:

Silver Linings Playbook blends humor, drama, love story, and mental health issues seamlessly.  The plot may feel over dramatized or outlandish at times, but the film will never cease to entertain.  This is the type of movie that when it comes on TV no matter which point you tune in, you'll watch it again and again.  If you're looking for a movie for date night, this is an excellent choice.  The romance/love story will keep the women involved, and the humor/football will keep the men entertained.  It's hands-down, one of the best movies I've seen so far this year and I'm sorry I missed it in theaters.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars (minus ½ a star for the slight predictable ending)