The Wolf of Wall Street

Cast of Characters:

Jordan Belfort - Leonardo DiCaprio

Donnie Azoff - Jonah Hill

Naomi Lapaglia - Margot Robbie

Mark Hanna - Matthew McConaughey

Patrick Denham - Kyle Chandler

Max Belfort - Rob Reiner

Brad Bodnick - Jon Bernthal

Manny Riskin - Jon Favreau

Jean-Jacques Saurel - Jean Dujardin

Director - Martin Scorsese

Screenplay - Terence Winter

Based on the memoir The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort

Rated R for sequences of strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language throughout, and for some violence

      Academy Award nominees Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey and Academy Award winner Jean Dujardin star in the legendary Oscar winning director Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street.

      In 1987, Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) became a Wall Street stockbroker under the tutelage of the lavish and charismatic Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey). To those that know their history, October 19, 1987, was a bad time for Belfort when the stock market experienced its worst crash since the Great Depression, known as "Black Monday". Needing to find work fast, Belfort lands back on his feet working for a low-level investor center that sells penny stocks. With his ability to aggressively sell hard and fast, Belfort becomes an instantaneous success within the company.

      Now back on his feet, Jordan befriends Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill) and together they create Stratton Oakmont. Soon a billion dollar company, Belfort has it all but lacks the discipline to handle it as he winds up addicted to cocaine and Quaaludes, committing adultery and securities fraud, the latter of which attracts the attention of FBI Agent Patrick Denham (Kyle Chandler).

      Based on the real-life Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same name, The Wolf of Wall Street was one of my most anticipated films of the year for two obvious reasons: Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio. Whether it's Gangs of New York (which should've won Best Picture), The Aviator or The Departed, you can almost never go wrong with those two. I say almost 'cause Shutter Island wasn't good, but even the greatest filmmakers have a flop once in a while. This film is sexual, crazy, funny, satirical, chaotic, out of control and gradually gets darker and darker as the film progresses. It's easily the closest we'll ever see to Martin Scorsese filming a movie like Spring Breakers. At running just a minute shy of three hours, Scorsese keeps the ball rolling at a fast pace, never slowing down a single moment. Three hours might seem like an eternity for some moviegoers, but believe me when I say I was never bored. That's Scorsese for you, though. I don't think I've ever watched a movie of his that felt like it dragged. Following his snubbed performance as the charming yet loathsome Calvin J. Candie, DiCaprio within no time made me forget that he was in that crap pile known as The Great Gatsby earlier this year (he wasn't the reason for it being horrible though). DiCaprio does what he does best. He's likeable, vulnerable, complex and at times acts like an undisciplined child in a grown man's body. He'll also once again probably get snubbed by the Academy again, and then finally win one for supporting actor in one of those "and Leonardo DiCaprio" type roles years down the road when he's like 76 and they feel "he's finally due"... but I digress. It's not just DiCaprio that sells it either. It's the entire cast. When you sign on for a film by one of the greatest, if not the greatest filmmaker ever, you better bring your A-game. Jonah Hill is knee-slapping hysterical as Belfort's crazy, drug addled stock partner Donnie Azoff. I still remember watching that God awful Accepted movie with him and Justin Long, thinking just how annoying Hill was and it took a few movies later (small roles in Knocked Up  and Funny People) to where he started to grow on me. Then I saw Moneyball, where I finally realized this man can act. Now having a Scorsese film under his belt, I really hope to see Hill continue this trend. Matthew McConaughey continues his award worthy year with what is essentially an extended cameo, but boy does he sell the hell out of it in the few scenes he's in. The great film director Rob "Meathead" Reiner shows up as Leo's dad in a couple of scenes. Jon Bernthal is very effective in a smaller supporting role that makes me believe he can have a very solid film career following The Walking Dead. Kyle Chandler and Oscar winner Jean Dujardin pop up as the FBI Agent tracking Belfort and Belfort's Swiss banker respectively, and then there's Margot Robbie. Up until this movie, she was only in two other films. Very little experience, but I was impressed with how well she stood her own up against DiCaprio (who, even at just under 40, is the film's "veteran presence"). It's not just a pretty face that strips down and gets all the boys in the theater room excited. She's sexy for sure, but also fiercely independent and there's one funny scene in particular where she shows just how much she's got Belfort wrapped around her finger like it's nothing.

      Some might be turned off by the excessive nature of the film and the running time, but there wasn't a single moment that ever felt out of place and you can only wonder what this film would've looked like if Scorsese lost his battle with the studio who wanted him to cut the running time down. I'm glad he won though 'cause I absolutely loved every single second of this 179 minute film. It's not Scorsese's best film. He'll have to move heaven and earth practically to ever outdo Raging Bull. It's certainly his wildest though, the most entertaining time I've had at the movies this year, depicting the dangers of excess in a satirical and stylistic manner we haven't seen from him before. I give The Wolf of Wall Street an A+ (★★★★).

      Starting in January 2014, my reviews will now be at my new site, silverscreenfanatic.com. I encourage anyone to stop by and check it out, the first post coming on the 1st of the month. I can't thank enough those of you around the world who stopped by to read my reviews throughout this year. I'm looking forward to this new site (this blog will still remain open to read), and to another great year in film. Hope you all have a safe and happy new year. I'll see you in 2014!

Grudge Match

Cast of Characters:
Billy "The Kid" McDonnen - Robert De Niro
Henry "Razor" Sharp - Sylvester Stallone
Dante Slate, Jr. - Kevin Hart
Lightning - Alan Arkin
Sally Rose - Kim Basinger
B.J. - Jon Bernthal

Director - Peter Segal
Screenplay - Doug Ellin, Tim Kelleher & Rodney Rothman
Rated PG-13 for sports action violence, sexual content and language

      It's Rocky vs. Raging Bull! Academy Award winner Robert De Niro and Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone finally face off in Grudge Match.

      Back in their heyday, Billy "The Kid" McDonnen (Robert De Niro) and Henry "Razor" Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) were bitter boxing rivals that each won a head to head match against each other. Although a tie-breaking grudge match was planned, Razor stunned the boxing world by announcing an early retirement from pro boxing.

      Thirty years later, both McDonnen and Sharp have moved on from the sport. McDonnen is running a bar and car dealership and Sharp, having gone into debt, has gone back to working at the local steel mill. After an attempt by their late manager's son Dante Slate, Jr. (Kevin Hart) to get the two to participate in the making of a video game leads to a fight between Razor and Kid, the demand to reunite these two boxers to settle the score after all those years rises.

      Just like the pairing of Stallone and Schwarzenegger earlier this fall was a marketer's wet dream, you can imagine how they must've jumped at the chance to promote a "Rocky" fights "Raging Bull" film. There's no question that both Stallone and De Niro had their career defining and most critically acclaimed moments (De Niro obviously has had much more success though) as Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta respectively. It earned Stallone two Oscar nominations (Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay) and De Niro his second Oscar win, his first for Best Actor. That said, I wasn't expecting this to be as good as either movie. Hell, no, not even close. Not even in the same ballpark, league, or galaxy for that matter. This movie is essentially one 100 minute long wink at the audience while three Oscar winners and a nominee dance their way to the bank. That's all. However, despite going in with low expectations, I gotta say I didn't have a bad time with this. I laughed. They mostly came from Alan Arkin (who plays cranky old bastard better than anyone else these days) and Kevin Hart, but I laughed anyway. It's highly predictable and a two year toddler could connect the dots between every "De Niro and Stallone are old", "Kevin Hart is short" joke and setup from beginning to end. We get the long, lost son by Shane from Walking Dead who reconnects with De Niro and somehow makes him a better man. We get the situation were the kid gains enough trust with his reconnected father and then the father does something stupid to screw it all up, but then within the next three scenes they have that touching moment where we get the "I know I wasn't there for you, but... I'm sorry." speech. Basinger shows up as the obligatory love interest that's the driving force of rivalry and hatred between the two men, and the climatic fight is a bit corny and far fetched. Oh, and of course, you know both De Niro and Stallone are gonna have their poke fun at their legendary roles moment (to those that have seen either Rocky or Raging Bull, you'll know it when you see it). If you were expecting anything more than that, though, you'll be disappointed. Very disappointed. Speaking of Basinger. She hasn't done anything noteworthy in years, and it unfortunately shows here. I was never a huge fan of hers, but I never thought of her as being a bad actress and she was certainly great in L.A. Confidential (Where she won her only Oscar for Best Supporting Actress). She's fairly stale and wooden here. Once again, it's not like I was hoping for Oscar gold, but everyone else does a serviceable job phoning it in, so she sticks out.

      Director Peter Segal has made a few comedy gems before, but has mostly been hit or miss with me and was never on a comedy directing level as say Harold Ramis, Mel Brooks or Judd Apatow. With Grudge Match, he makes a sporadically funny comedy that aims to be more comedy with a heart than all-out goofy and winds up being okay, which is a lot more than I was expecting to say. If you plan on watching this, leave your critic's brain at the door and just take this for what it is - two actors from two of the most iconic and critically acclaimed boxing movies ever having fun and making a lot of money doing so. I give Grudge Match a C (★★½). 

47 Ronin

Cast of Characters:

Kai - Keanu Reeves

Kuranosuke Oishi - Hiroyuki Sanada

Lord Kira - Tadanobu Asano

Mizuki - Rinko Kikuchi

Mika - Kou Shibasaki

The Shogun - Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Director - Carl Rinsch

Screenplay - Chris Morgan & Walter Hamada

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images and thematic elements

      Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada and Academy Award nominee Rinko Kikuchi star in 47 Ronin. It's Neo meets The Last Samurai.

      When we're first introduced to Kai, he's a young abandoned boy found by a group of samurai. Considering he's an illegitimate child of a British sailor and Japanese peasant girl, he's looked down up by some of the samurai as a "half breed".

      Years later, after their master is put to death by the evil Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano) and his witch Mizuki (Rinko Kikuchi), the samurai now turned Ronin (leaderless samurai), led by Kuranosuke Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), are banished from their society. Vowing vengeance, even if it means death for themselves, the Ronin embark on a journey to avenge the death of their slain master. Along with them is that "half breed" Kai (Keanu Reeves), now grown up, who sets out to prove to them he is also worthy of the title of samurai.

      To those that don't know the story of the Forty-seven Ronin, it is - to this day - an immensely revered and respected fable from Japan that tells of a real-life account in 18th century Japan where a group Ronin avenged the death of their fallen leader. Some Japanese consider it their "national legend". If done right, a feature film on this tale could be a riveting, emotional and profound experience that explores such themes as loyalty, code, honor and sacrifice. What we get isn't the case. Now, don't get me wrong. I wasn't expecting much from this, particularly when "Ted Logan" is front and center. The film though tries to have its cake and eat it too, which is its biggest problem - aside from the poorly edited fight sequences which rely too much on closeups and quick cuts. It wants to be both a serious homage to the tale of the Ronin while also being the mystical box office blockbuster we've seen advertised through the trailers, which is unnecessary. There's a great story to be told with the 47 Ronin as is, and throwing in all the CGI (some of which is impressive, while some is also cheesy) and the creatures and whatnot really distracts the viewer from what the main focal point of the story should be: these 47 men willing to sacrifice their lives in order to avenge the death of their master. Speaking of those 47 men, we also have the problems with the character development. Although the film is titled 47 Ronin, it might as well have been called 2 Ronin, 'cause Reeves's Kai and Sanada's Oishi are the only ones we really get to know out of these men. Of course, you can't give detailed development of all the men. The film would be six hours long if you did, but at least developing a few more other than just showing us a couple outside of the main two by way of, "Here they are... and now let's kill them off." would've been better. It's a shame 'cause this features a talented Japanese cast and their talents are wasted on characters they can't really get much out of. Even Rinko Kikuchi, who I'm a big fan of, can't do much with her villain role. She looks like she's having fun with it, or at least as much fun as she can, and I can understand why, after playing mostly empathetic and (or) likeable characters, she'd wanna sink her teeth into a villain part. There's not much there for her to chew on though. Of course, we also get a forced love interest between Kai and Mika that is introduced and then pushed aside.

      Overall, I can't say I hated this film like others seem to feel about it. 47 Ronin has its entertaining moments, and the supporting cast does the best they can with the poor material they're given, but it's a missed opportunity. I don't even blame Keanu Reeves either, and actually he's not really that bad here, keeping his performance within his limits. I blame the writing and the direction for wanting this to be some sort of holiday blockbuster, CGI fantasy epic when the story doesn't need that. Fans wanting lots of action will probably be bored by the lack of it and those wanting a character driven fable will be disappointed as well. I'd love to see a well written and directed take on this story, and maybe someday they might give it another shot and do it right. I give 47 Ronin a C- (★★).

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Cast of Characters:

Walter Mitty - Ben Stiller

Cheryl Melhoff - Kristen Wiig

Edna Mitty - Shirley MacLaine

Ted Hendricks - Adam Scott

Odessa Mitty - Kathryn Hahn

Sean O'Connell - Sean Penn

Director - Ben Stiller

Screenplay - Steve Conrad

Based on the short story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber

Rated PG for some crude comments, language and action violence

      Ben Stiller, Academy Award nominee Kristen Wiig and Academy Award winners Shirley MacLaine and Sean Penn star in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Ben, now you can finally ask him why he went full retard in I Am Sam.

      Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is a mild-mannered negative analyst for Life Magazine that always appears to be stuck in a "zoned out" daydream, particularly one involving his coworker crush Cheryl Melhoff (Kristen Wiig). When Life decides to stop publishing magazines for print and focus on an online publication led by Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott), Walter is given the task of prepping the cover photo for the final magazine by the legendary photographer Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn). The problem is Walter can't find the negative - negative 25, Sean's "Quintessence of Life".

      With the deadline approaching and being harassed and humiliated by his boss Hendricks, Mitty takes it upon himself to travel abroad in order to find that mysterious negative 25.

      The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was actually in development for nearly two decades. Sam Goldwyn, Jr. (whose father produced the original starring Danny Kaye in 1947) originally wanted Jim Carrey for the lead role and Disney was set to purchase the remake rights. After years and years in development hell, Stiller was finally picked for both lead actor and director of the film and we finally have what we see right now. After all those years of trying to get this movie pushed into being remade and after finally seeing the very effective marketing trailers, it's unfortunate how underwhelming the film was at times. While there are some impressive visual sequences and genuinely funny moments, the film overall felt lacking. The problem may be that Stiller's direction often times comes off as a little too self-indulgent, leaving very little room for any development for the supporting work, in particular the wonderful Kristen Wiig. Mitty is a likeable enough character, enough to where you wouldn't hate seeing him finally get the girl at the end, yet we don't get as much from Wiig as we should to where we'd be rooting for them to meet up at the end. In fact, at times I felt her talents was somewhat wasted. I get it. It's called The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, not The Secret Life of Walter Mitty's Supporting Cast, but if one of the subplots is Walter trying to pursue this girl - and, in a way, it technically is the main driving point of the film - you need to bring something out of both characters to where we're happy to see them end up together. Wiig's a likeable screen presence, but here she came off bland. Even with Stiller's lead as Walter Mitty, we're barely introduced to the meek and mild-mannered Mitty before we plunge head first into one of his "Mitty the hero" daydreams. Had we have gotten to know the normal Mitty a bit more beforehand, it would've made those daydreams something more than just being visually stylish and impressive - it would've gotten us to feel for Mitty much more. Plus, despite Sean Penn delivering a solid and funny extended cameo, there's so much excitement over this missing photo, but when we finally see just what exactly the photo is, it's kinda corny and - well, see my point about Stiller's self-indulgence.

      I don't want it to seem like I'm hating on the movie. It's not bad, but it's not what I was hoping it to be. Stiller has proven himself to be a solid director before with the cult comedy classics such as Reality Bites, The Cable Guy and the hilarious Tropic Thunder. Here, he's trying to bite off more than he can chew. There's a lot of style and some solid performances, but very little substance, marking this one of 2013's disappointments for me. I give The Secret Life of Walter Mitty a C (★★½).     

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Cast of Characters:

Nelson Mandela - Idris Elba

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela - Naomie Harris

Walter Sisulu - Tony Kgoroge

Director - Justin Chadwick

Screenplay - William Nicholson

Based on the autobiography Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of violence and disturbing images, sexual content and brief strong language

      Idris Elba and Naomie Harris star in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, based on Mandela's 1995 autobiography.

      As a young lawyer in South Africa, Nelson Mandela (Idris Elba) is attempting to petition the government for equality. After one of his friends gets drunk and is beaten by law enforcement officials, Mandela helps form the African National Congress (ANC) to protest the mistreatment of the black Africans.

      Following the bombing of a political office by the ANC, Mandela is sent to trial and faces the possibility of the death penalty, but is instead sentenced to life in prison. He was released 27 years later.

      For the past ten or so years, Idris Elba has proven himself to be a more than dependable screen presence. Despite starring in a few clunkers (Takers, The Losers, The Reaping, and that God awful Ghost Rider film), Elba has delivered solid supporting work whether it was Pacific Rim earlier this year, last year's Prometheus, the two Thor films, 28 Weeks Later, being a foil for Steve Carell in The Office, or getting his brains blown out by Denzel Washington in American Gangster. Like Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave last month, though, Elba should finally get noticed for his work here in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. While not someone I'd initially have imagined playing the former South African leader, Elba sells the performance in ways sure to garner awards consideration. Equally impressive is Naomie Harris as Winnie Mandela. Like her costar, Harris has popped up in a number of films in the past decade, but never really got an opportunity to show what she's capable of like she gets here. While the story takes us through decade to decade of Nelson and Winnie's struggles that are harrowing and powerful at times, or at least as harrowing as PG-13 will allow, at times director Justin Chadwick and screenwriter William Nicholson get a little too ambitious with the storytelling, which details the events of Mandela's life from his time as a young lawyer up until when he was elected president in 1994. It's never an easy task to write a film that spans at least three to four decades and while the film clocks in at almost two and a half hours, there were moments here and there that felt a bit rushed in order to fit as many life events as they could. We also get a scene near the beginning with Mandela having an affair that seemed slightly unnecessary. I can certainly understand why the filmmakers chose to show that, wanting an unbiased, balanced portrayal of Mandela as a flawed human, which - like everyone else - he was. However, the moment felt forced in there for the sake of showing us he wasn't perfect. Flaws and all considered, this is still an effective biopic based on the powerful performances of the two leads. If the story doesn't have your attention at times, Elba's stirring delivery, whether it's him standing trial or addressing the nation, will.

      It's not a perfect film. The narrative could've been polished some and better editing choices could've been made, but this is far from a bad film. Idris Elba and Naomie Harris's award worthy performances carry this film from beginning to end are enough to make this a worthwhile watch. Here's hoping Elba gets more lead opportunities 'cause he shows he's got what it takes. I give Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom a B+ (★★★½).

Saving Mr. Banks

Cast of Characters:

P. L. Travers - Emma Thompson

Walt Disney - Tom Hanks

Ralph - Paul Giamatti

Richard M. Sherman - Jason Schwartzman

Don DaGradi - Bradley Whitford

Travers Robert Goff - Colin Farrell

Director - John Lee Hancock

Screenplay - Kelly Marcel & Sue Smith

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including some unsettling images

      Academy Award winners Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks star as the iconic figures P. L. Travers and Walt Disney respectively in the making of one the most beloved Disney classics, Saving Mr. Banks.

      P. L. Travers (Emma Thompson) is widely known for being the author of the literary classic Mary Poppins. For nearly 20 years, Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) had been trying to earn the rights to her book in order to make a film adaptation - a promise he once made to his daughters. It turns out to be rather difficult as the stubborn Travers refuses to have her story turned into what she believes will be people prancing around in another one of Disney's musicals.

      Now after all these years, with no more book royalties coming her way and needing to keep her house, Travers gives in and flies to California for Disney's "last stand" to make one final effort to win over those rights. In doing so, Disney manages to find out the true meaning behind what the story was all about.

      Mary Poppins is considered by many, me included, to be one of the greatest Disney film classics, not only for it's heartwarming story, but also from a technical standpoint it was revolutionary in terms of combining animation with live action film. It also took home five Academy Awards, one of which was Best Actress for Julie Andrews. What many people might not know is how painstakingly difficult it was for Mr. Disney to get the rights from Travers to make Marry Poppins into a movie. The film does take a few liberties with what really happened. The real life Travers actually hated the movie, when it finally came out, so much she made sure no one involved with the film production had anything to do with the stage musical that was made years later. She also claimed to have been mistreated during the production. Of course, this movie is brought to you by Disney, so it's not like they're gonna move away from the opportunity to make this a feel good story in order to tell you the "hard facts". Despite the liberties they do take, I still found this to be an enjoyable experience. Director John Lee Hancock presents us with a beautiful stylized 60's L.A. setting that offers an insightful look at the way film studios often have to bang their head against a wall in dealing with the foot planted stubbornness of the authors, but also takes us back in time to Australia when Travers was a child. It's those latter moments with her father (played by Colin Farrell in one of his best performances), where she would eventually become inspired to create the character of Mary Poppins. I won't spoil the details of what happens during her childhood, but once you see it, you'll realize exactly why Travers was so stubbornly protective of the character she brought to life. Emma Thompson does a superb job as Travers in a performance that very well grant her a Best Actress nomination. No one can play proper, snooty, stubborn with a little dash of humanity better than Thompson. When it comes to Disney, who better than Hanks? Having already moved me earlier this year with his terrific performance in Captain Phillips, Hanks once again shows why he's one of the best, not just of today, not just of the past ten to fifteen years, but of all-time. It's not a full blown caricature impersonation of Disney in any way, but he still manages to embody the nature of Disney both as the lighthearted storyteller the fans knew him as, but also as the shrewd and ruthless businessman he had to be at times to get what he wanted (See if you can spot the map of Florida in his office with Orlando circled). Plus, as the story unfolds you'll come to find he and Travers weren't that different in terms of their upbringings. Along with Thompson and Hanks, we're also treated to a gifted supporting cast that features the likes of underrated character actor Bradley Whitford, Jason Schwartzman, B. J. Novak, Kathy Baker and a wonderful performance from Paul Giamatti as Travers's chauffeur.

      Like I said, it does take some liberties with what may or may not have happened, and there are moments where it clearly wants to play it "feel good" safe. That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed this "making of" film led by two terrific performances from Thompson and Hanks. It's not perfect, but it still offers a entertaining and heartwarming time that the whole family can enjoy this weekend. I give Saving Mr. Banks an A- (★★★½).

REVIEWS COMING LATER NEXT WEEK...

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

47 Ronin

Grudge Match

The Wolf of Wall Street  

American Hustle

Cast of Characters:

Irving Rosenfeld - Christian Bale

Agent Richie DiMaso - Bradley Cooper

Mayor Carmine Polito - Jeremy Renner

Sydney Prosser - Amy Adams

Rosalyn Rosenfeld - Jennifer Lawrence

Stoddard Thorsen - Louis C.K.

Paco Hernandez - Michael Pena

Anthony Amado - Alessandro Nivola

Director - David O. Russell

Screenplay - Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russell

Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence

      Academy Award winners Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence and Oscar nominees Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner star in Oscar nominated director David O. Russell's American Hustle. Boy, I really hope this inexperienced cast can pull it off.

      Sweet mother of God, Batman really let himself go after retirement. Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) is a brilliant conman who, along with his partner Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), is forced into working with FBI Agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). If Rosenfeld is willing to cooperate, DiMaso won't charge him and Prosser for the crimes they committed.

      Now thrust into the world of corrupt politicians, Jersey powerbrokers and the mob, Irving must bring his A-game to sell the con, all the while keeping his unstable wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) from derailing the whole operation.

      While David O. Russell has never been known for his direction like Spielberg, Scorsese, Tarantino, Nolan, etc., there's no denying Russell has always been a marvelous storyteller with the way he creates richly complex characters and sharp, witty dialogue. Clearly influenced by Scorsese and a little bit of the Coen brothers as well, American Hustle may not be Russell's best film, but it's pretty close and it's his best directing effort as he takes us into the world of a 70's con gone awry where not every character is as black and white as you might initially think they are. Christian Bale once again disappears into another phenomenal performance as beer-bellied, comb-over from hell Irving Rosenfeld. This guy looks like a complete joke, but looks prove to be deceiving in some cases. "Who's the master: the painter... or the forger?", he states. It's another great turn from Bale, who my thoughts of were blurted out by the guy sitting across from me at the end of the movie. "Man, I can't believe he was..." - well, I was gonna say in Newsies... but you could also say Batman. Amy Adams - this generation's Kate Winslet: four Oscar nominations so far, no wins - is equally terrific in a turn that may earn her a fifth nomination. In one of the more empathetic roles of the film, Jeremy Renner shows why I'll take his dramatic work over "Renner the action star" any time of day. Hey, sure, he did a solid job as the least memorable character in The Avengers, but come on. Compared to what he did in The Hurt Locker, The Town and now here? Bradley Cooper, by far and away, is the scene stealer here. When you stack him up next to just how great Bale and Adams are in this film, and take into account that he's stealing the show in every scene he's in, it just shows you how far as an actor he's finally come. As DiMaso, Cooper's funny, intimidating, driven, yet at times also insecure and vulnerable. I just wish we could get a bit more of the All About Steve Bradley Cooper. Ha-ha. I'm just kidding. That film was crap. Following his Oscar nominated turn in Silver Linings Playbook, this year's The Place Beyond the Pines and now another strong turn here, Cooper's becoming the type of talented actor I would've never expected after seeing The Wedding Crashers for the first time. Then we have the lovely Katniss, Miss Jennifer Lawrence, who - as much as I hate to admit it - is the film's one, small weakness. Don't get me wrong, Lawrence gives a strong performance. Hell, she somehow made The Bill Engvall Show just barely watchable (I could just picture Engvall watching last year's Oscars at home going, "Yup, I taught her everything she knows. Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's your sign!"). The problem is she's only 23, playing a character that seemed more fit for someone a bit older and experienced. It's like she's playing dress up and acting more "grown up" than she is in order to fit in with the rest of the cast. I wish it wasn't the case. I adore Lawrence and I would rush out to see her in Jennifer Lawrence Eats at Denny's. That's not a metaphorical artsy take either. I would watch a literal take of Lawrence eating at Denny's. For a complete performance, though, I believe there are two components: the individual giving the performance, and the individual fitting the character. She pulls of the performance easily, she just doesn't fit the character, so overall it's an unfortunate mixed bag of goods with her for me. It doesn't take much if anything from the movie though, considering she's not the main character or even the second or third main character in the film.

      I don't want it to seem like I'm bagging on the movie 'cause of that one nitpicky weakness I saw. This is still one of the most entertaining films of the year. Between the costumes, superb writing, strong direction, electrifying lead performances, sizzling score featuring the likes of Steely Dan, Wings, Elton John, and America, and a smaller yet very effective supporting turn from Louis C.K. (who shares some of the film's best and funniest moments with Cooper), this is an exciting, hilarious and sometimes suspenseful character driven con-story that is pure fun from beginning to end. Plus, winning a free American Hustle T-shirt during a pre-film contest didn't hurt either (Seriously, I was probably one of the youngest people in the audience and I still was somehow the only one that knew the Bee Gee's released Spirits Having Flown in 1979?). I give American Hustle an A (★★★★).