Film: 'AMERICAN HUSTLE'

I needed this film to be a salve in discovering that ticket prices at my favourite and most frequented art-house cinema have been hiked by a stupefying 50%. Whether this will necessarily entail a reduction in my cinema-going only the future will show.

By and large it turned out that the entertainment value of this picture eased the initial pain and surprise more than a little.

Much has already been said about the involved and intriguing plot, concerning the FBI carrying out a 'sting' aimed at exposing corrupt congressmen, along with their mafia connections and sympathies, by getting them to accept hefty monetary bribes in exchange for giving the nod to otherwise controversial schemes.
The leading FBI officer is played by Bradley Cooper, for whom I've long since had the hots, but who here looks the most scrumptious I've ever seen. If I could ever have had the looks which he exhibits in this film, if it were a requirement, I swear I would even have gone down on Mother Theresa herself - provided she agreed, of course. (A modest price to pay, surely?)
Con-artists Christian Bale and Amy Adams play his reluctant accomplices coerced into helping execute the sting. Add to the mix Jennifer Lawrence, the Bale character's tricky wife and potential trouble-maker - and Jeremy Renner as big-shot politician at the centre of the dupe, then it's a particularly fine ensemble cast. (Btw: During the course of the film the remarkable facial similarity struck me of Renner to Liberace.)

This super-slick film (good, alive script) has an interesting selection of pop hits on its soundtrack, from vaguely around the time of the film's (late)70s setting. Made me want them to play the entire things!

If I'd been on my toes I might have guessed the big twist in the film's close, and I'm sure a lot of people did. But it didn't detract from the pleasures of the build-up. I've got to say, though, that the film was just the timiest shade less impressive than I'd expected in the light of so many exceptionally positive reviews. But if I score it slightly higher than my previously-seen film, 'All Is Lost', it's only because the latter is a film I'm pleased to have seen the once, whereas I'd look forward to seeing 'American Hustle' a second time....................7.5