American Hustle - Review

Now that the 86th Academy Awards have come and gone, I realized that I never reviewed any of the Best Picture nominees. Don't really have any excuses this time, just kind of dropped the ball. Well, now that I know who won and lost, I don't have to make any pleas about who I hope will win, instead I get to complain about the films that took home awards they didn't deserve and the more deserving films that went home empty handed. So, first up is American Hustle, director David O. Russell's crime thriller/drama/comedy (it has bits and pieces from many genres) and what I consider the most overrated film of 2013. I already discussed this one a little bit in my Oscar predictions stating that despite receiving critical praise and ten Oscar nominations (though it didn't win any), I was somewhat befuddled by the film's immense acclaim. I know I'm in the minority here, but despite the efforts of a talented cast, a previously successful director, and worthy subject matter, there was just something missing from American Hustle and as a result, it failed to click. Maybe there's some irony in that title, because after watching it, I genuinely felt hustled by the filmmakers.

In a a loose dramatization of the real-life ABSCAM scandals, the year is 1978 and Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), while nothing particularly impressive to look at, is one of the best con-artists in the game. With a number of seemingly legitimate businesses, Rosenfeld is an expert at the craft of scamming, whether through counterfeit art deals, illegal merchandise, shady loans, or many other means. While attending a friend's party, he meets the sultry Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), a stripper/business clerk who takes an interest in Rosenfeld's business. The two form a partnership in Rosenfeld's con-games and start a casual relationship (despite Rosenfeld being married to a woman who, even though she hates him, refuses a divorce). When Rosenfeld and Sydney are caught by FBI agent Richie DaMaso (Bradley Cooper), he offers them a chance to avoid a prison sentence if the two cooperate with the FBI to help them track down and catch some other big-name criminals and con-artists. What follows is essentially a clusterfuck of mishaps involving cons, scams, swindling, friends becoming enemies, enemies becoming friends, the mafia, corrupt politicians, and shady FBI agents.

Now, American Hustle is not necessarily a "bad movie" but after watching it, I couldn't deny the fact that there was just something missing from it, and for a while, I couldn't put my finger on what that was. It certainly wasn't for lack of ambition, effort, talent, or decent subject matter. On the contrary, with a director like David O'Russell, subject matter as interesting as the ABSCAM scandles, and a cast consisting of immense talents like Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Jeremy Renner selling the hell out of their roles, I had pretty high hopes for this flick. Maybe it was the raised expectations that killed this one's potential for me, but even after a second viewing, my thoughts hadn't changed. It's hard not to draw comparisons to Goodfellas while watching American Hustle, as it seemed like O'Russell was going for the style of "bleak/dark drama with comedic undertones" that Martin Scorsese has made a career out of. While there's nothing wrong with a filmmaker drawing inspiration from a near-perfect masterpiece like Goodfellas, American Hustle ultimately feels like an average imitation of a quality product, a thought only supported by the fact that there actually was a Scorsese film in 2013 with similar themes. It's like David O'Russell showed Martin Scorsese his film, and Marty responded by saying, "Nice try kid... but let me show you how the pros do it" and then proceeded to show him The Wolf of Wall Street.

With all that said, it's not fair to criticize a film for not being as incredible as Goodfellas (few are) or to throw David O'Russell under the bus for not being Scorsese (again... very few possess even a fraction of Scorsese's filmmaking talents). I will say this much, there are a few things about the movie that I like. With David O'Russell's sharp eye for visuals, the filmmakers did a commendable job recreating the 1970s. Everything from the outfits, the sets, the soundtrack, the makeup, and the hair (actually the hairstyles are probably the best part of the film) are accomplished with some stylish flair and a nice attention to detail. The actors are generally well-cast too, with the standouts being Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence (though both have done far better work in previous films). At the very least, you can't deny the absolute commitment each actor brought their respective role. The same could be said for director David O'Russell, who clearly put every once of his energy and talent into trying to deliver a quality product. Plus, the pacing is generally solid, the film finds a decent rhythm, and the script manages to throw in a chuckle-worthy scene once in a while. At the very least, the film isn't without any merit.

So like I mentioned before... I was originally quite perplexed as to why a film with so many positive elements could feel so unfulfilling. The cast, the direction, and the concept are, for the most part, generally solid. So what happened??? Well, despite the good individual parts, nothing really comes together all that well. It tries to be three things at once, a dramatic character study, a screwball comedy, and a heist/grifter film (with some socio-political undertones). Unfortunately, it doesn't really get any of those three parts right. The comedic elements are the only parts that come close to working, as I did get a few chuckles out a couple scenes, despite the humorous moments being very hit or miss. The characters, however, are probably the most disappointing part of the film, because they come close to working but not quite. They're mostly just comedic archetypes with little depth or personality that fail to rise above generic cliches. I won't dock the film points for it's characters not being likable or for being egotistic, narcissistic, or shallow (since that was clearly the point), but I will dock them for not being interesting. The basic set-up and heist story starts with promise but it culminates throughout a confusing and convoluted narrative yet still in ends with an outcome that I predicted five minutes into the damn film. Plus, the tone is all over the map and the style is never consistent. Because the film tackles so many ideas and stories, it continuously looses focus and by the time is over over... it just felt lifeless. A film with multiple plots and stories can work, but it takes one hell of a filmmaker to make it work... clearly David O'Russell was not up to it. The main problem, however, despite it's sheer energy, is that it lacks bite. It doesn't really much to say about the insanity of it's story aside from "we live in a messed up world", which is true but I was expecting more.

As I've mentioned, I know I'm in the minority here, but no matter how I look at American Hustle, it just doesn't do much for me. Maybe it's because I've seen so many films do exactly what American Hustle was trying to do, only so much better. If the movie sounds like it's up your alley you could check it out, or you could watch similar yet far more compelling films like Goodfellas, or more engaging movies like The Sting, or funnier flicks like A Fish Called Wanda... all of which are similar to American Hustle just better. If you're looking for a more recent film, then watch Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. I wish I liked this movie, I WANT to like this movie, but no matter what American Hustle is nothing more than mediocre.

My Score: 2.5 out of 5!

Silver Linings Playbook - Review

Every so often, a decent or otherwise good film makes it's way into theaters, and for some reason, seems to take the world by storm. Silver Linings Playbook is one of those movies, a hit of the film festivals, showered with awards, praised by the critics, and embraced by audiences as a new classic... yeah, I'm wondering if I watched the same movie as everyone else. Wait wait wait! Don't freak out, let me make one thing clear... I liked Silver Linings Playbook, I just didn't quite love it. The film is good and has some really strong qualities, I'm not denying that, but the numerous flaws are what's keeping me from understanding just why it's being touted as some kind of new masterpiece. Is it because of the subject matter, or maybe that it features Bradley Cooper broadening his acting ability, or is it because Jennifer Lawrence is kind of a big deal right now? It's hard to say exactly where the hype lies, but either way Silver Linings Playbook has received quite the response. What works and what doesn't? Let's take a look...

Silver Linings Playbook opens with Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper), being released from a mental institution after an 8 month stint. Pat was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder after witnessing his wife having an affair, an event which triggered a mental episode where he nearly beat his wife's lover to death. He is released into the care of his parents, Pat Sr (Robert De Niro) and Delores (Jacki Weaver), where he begins a long journey of piecing his life back together and hopefully reconciling with his wife (who, after the assault, placed a restraining order against Pat). Soon after arriving home, Pat is introduced to Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence), a recently widowed woman with issues of her own. Despite some initial hostility between the two, both Pat and Tiffany form a love/hate friendship as they help each other work through their issues, accomplish each other's respective goals, and find the silver lining in their unfortunate circumstances.

David O'Russell (the film's director) is a very talented filmmaker, let's get the out there right now. I've also heard he's kind of a maniac, but I'm not going to worry about that right now. Though he hasn't made a movie that I've quite fallen in love with yet, his work in films like Three Kings (quite good), I Heart Huckabees (took some time to appreciate this one, but I do admire it), and The Fighter (also quite good) has been impressive. Silver Linings Playbook actually reminded me a bit of The Fighter. Both films were family-based dramas that dealt with themes of bonding over sports (be it football or boxing) and health-related issues (drug addiction in the case of The Fighter and mental illness in the case of Silver Linings Playbook). It was through Russell's slick direction and the subtleties of the script that elevated The Fighter from being just another inner city boxer turned champion fighter flick (like all of the Rocky imitators). Silver Linings Playbook tries to recapture the success of that technique... albeit with mixed though still overall positive results. The cast is game, there are some truly compelling scenes, and the subject matter is worthy. That said, by the time the third act roles around, it looses a bit of it's edge and falls victim to one too many predictable and formulaic beats.

Let's start where most of the film's shining attributes abide... the cast! Bradley Cooper has been mainly regarded, up until this point, as a comedic actor with well-received roles in films like The Hangover and Wedding Crashers. His non-comedic movies have been at best average (I'm being nice), though often not the fault of Cooper. His role as Pat finally gives him a chance to showcase his true skill, both through comedic and dramatic means. He gets a few hearty laughs over the course of the film and sells every one of his heavier scenes... that's talent right there. The most talked about performance, however, is probably Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany. With her Oscar victory for this role, she has officially crossed the line of promising up-and-comer, to full blown superstar. Make no mistake, she is damn good in this role, taking what could have been a fairly one note character and making it into something very impressive. Most of the film's best moments come from Lawrence, and it's clear that she is one hell of an actress who deserves the success that has come to her. Both Cooper and Lawrence have a great chemistry, and ultimately contribute to most of the film's success.

The supporting cast has received some attention as well. Robert De Niro is always a welcome presence to any movie, whether it be a drama, comedy, action, or horror flick... he's just one of those actors who can play anything. While his part of Pat Sr isn't one of his most memorable roles (though that's hardly a criticism when your filmography consists of Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Cape Fear, The Godfather Part II, etc.), De Niro does a good job playing the"bad ass with a heart of gold" kind of parts. He's funny, he's intense, he's dramatic, he's likable, he's De Niro... what more can I say? Australian actress Jacki Weaver is great as Pat's mom Delores, in a more understated but still impressive performance. She's quite convincing as the torn but loving mother caught in the middle of this madness and who wants nothing more than to see both her husband and son both be happy with their issues resolved. Her role in this isn't quite as impressive as her previously Oscar nominated performance in the underrated 2009 flick, Animal Kingdom, but it works. I also have to give a shout out to Chris Tucker, who up until now, has always been one of the most annoying comedic actors to walk the Earth, actually give a more grounded and surprisingly heartfelt performance as Danny, Pat's buddy from the mental hospital. Overall, this was a very well assembled cast, and without them, the movie wouldn't have been nearly as effective.

Now we come to the story... and this is where I'm most divided. The individual parts are all solid, and the seeds planted could have amounted into a new classic. The idea is good, the characters are mostly well developed, and family drama is genuine. The first two-thirds of the film are quite good, with little to no flaws. There are some very funny scenes that managed to get a few decent laughs out of me, and when it came to the heavier scenes, yeah I got legitimately invested in those too. The two tones were well-balanced, it was both funny and dramatic in equal parts with neither feeling forced. Once the final third rolled around... eesh, this is where I'm torn. I can't really discuss it without spoiling parts of the ending, so I'm going to put a spoiler warning up.

SPOILER WARNING!!! I AM REVEALING PARTS OF THE FILM'S ENDING!!! SKIP TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT ANYTHING REVEALED!!!

Okay, so film ends with some of the most cliched and predictable story elements I have ever seen.
Up until the third act, most of the movie avoided a lot of the typical romcom formula. Even though I had a hunch it might end copping out, I held out hope that it would not... I was wrong. It ends with Pat's consensual break up with his wife so that he and Tiffany could be together. After Pat Sr gives his son the obligatory "go get her" speech, Pat chases down Tiffany, they reveal their love for each other, the kiss, blah blah blah, happily ever after. It's not just the ending either, by the time the third act rolled around, it was completely obvious that the movie was going to resort to the typical Hollywood formula. This wouldn't bother me too much, except for the fact that the movie had so much going for it. Once again though, we get the typical Hollywood message that the cure for mental illness is to hook up with an equally messed up, though still conventionally attractive, partner. Kind of a letdown, not gonna lie.

SPOILERS END HERE!!!

And there is Silver Linings Playbook. Despite my gripes and complaints, I will say that the movie is worth seeing. Up until the end, most of it works quite well, and while I do think the movie, as a whole, is a bit overrated, it's definitely not bad. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5!