4/10
Being annoyed by a David O. Russell film is becoming something of a masochistic year-end tradition, but I've never been bored by one, until now. American Hustle spreads roughly thirty minutes of entertainment over a painful near-2.5 hours, taking forever to reach a conclusion that's mildly interesting instead of being jaw-droppingly clever. It's representative of the movie as a whole, however - this is a movie that should be so vibrant the screen it plays on should be shaking. The characters should be more interesting, the jokes should be funnier, the soundtrack should dazzle, the con in the plot should thrill...none of these things happen. This feels like Russell doing his best Tarantino impression and failing miserably. What results is indeed a mildly interesting, occasionally entertaining, mostly boring, sloppily-scripted mess.
As far as the much-hyped cast goes, it's hit and miss. Christian Bale and Amy Adams fare best, which is good because they're the center of the movie. Bradley Cooper is all over the place, trying anything in vain to make his character into something. Jeremy Renner either sleepwalks through his role or simply isn't capable of bringing anything more. But Jennifer Lawrence is the true travesty, stuck with an awful, obnoxious character and resorting to painful histrionics to try and make it work. She deserved better, instead of having to lower herself to the gimmickry seen here.
For a movie that lasts as long as this one does, and with so much screen talent, to be only somewhat entertaining in spurts, is simply not good enough.
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