MOVIETOWN MOVIE CLUB
Locals Cole Schneider and Matt Greene co-host the weekly film podcast “Movietown Movie Club.”
Each week, they will be sharing their different takes on new movies out in area theaters. For more, visit Movietown Movie Club on Facebook.
‘AMERICAN HUSTLE’
Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K., Michael Pena
Rated: R (pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence)
Cole: ‘American Hustle’ sacrifices plot for characters
Longtime Panama City resident Cole Schneider, born in Long Beach, Calif., always has preferred popcorn and a movie to a long walk on the beach.
David O. Russell (‘The Fighter’, ‘Silver Linings Playbook’) always has relied more on characters, setting and moments than on narrative plot.
The plot seems to exist exclusively for the purpose of exploring those other elements, and in his new film, “American Hustle” he takes these old habits and ratchets them even tighter. Moviegoers will be forced to deal with often unconventional, sometimes downright poor narrative storytelling. In the process, however, they will come to know and love an array of characters in 1970s New York and will find moments of cinematic joy that are likely to stay with them for the rest of their life.
A tremendous cast is led by Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper, yet everyone is upstaged by Jennifer Lawrence, who gets the most fun material in a smaller role. The cast is buoyed by a script and a camera that are always on their side. Simply, Russell is as actor-friendly a director as there is in Hollywood today. This, along with the style and setting bring instant comparisons to” Goodfellas” and “Boogie Nights.” It somehow combines the audacious camera bravado of Martin Scorsese with the patience and restraint of Paul Thomas Anderson.
The result is riotously funny. Whether it's a joke pulled into the foreground — watch out for the science oven — or whether it's a joke with clever overtones throughout the whole film — the politician is the most morally upright character — the comedy is uncompromising. “American Hustle” is pure energy, infectious enthusiasm and technically brilliant filmmaking.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Matt: ‘American Hustle’ deceives, engages
Panama City Beach musician Matt Greene, who has a bachelor’s in philosophy from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, always has enjoyed viewing, debating and critiquing all forms and aspects of film, from foreign films to slapstick comedies.
“American Hustle” is all about deception.
Every character is hiding something from every other character, manipulating their relationships to get what they want. On top of this, there seems to be trickery of the film itself on the audience. Above the hustle and bustle of the plot is a wonderful array of bumbling characters and neurotic screwball-esque dialogue that is sorely missing in our modern day cineplexes. In the end, we get a crime-comedy-drama that is full of laughs … intense, unsettling laughs.
Nostalgia for the 1970s is extremely thick here, not just in the costuming and set pieces, but in the filmmaking itself. Yes, the style and music are perfect in putting us within the era, but even the camera work, editing and jazzy directing scream of “Mean Streets” era- Martin Scorsese. David Russell struggles at times with some of the potential convolutedness of the lies, but this is minor. Lucky for us, Russell can pair this madcap style with some great touches of reality, grounding us back in the mundane as we are facing the insane.
However, Russell is barely interested in the plot or even the real life Abscam scandal. He is interested in quick and brilliantly repetitive dialogue. He is interested in tone and style. He is interested in giving his actors surprising and authentic characters, and then letting them play… and play they do. Everyone brings their A-game, especially Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence, who are truly outstanding, hilarious and convincing. This is must-see awards season viewing … but it will also be an entertaining and engaging night at the movies.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars