It is way too easy for filmmakers setting a film in the 1970s, more than any other decade, to become carried away with showing you the period trappings – just look at those crazy clothes, and what about that hair, they seem to often say – at the expense of the story. David O. Russell’s new crime drama manages to avoid falling into that trap….just! It is true that the opening scene is of a corpulent Christian Bale meticulously managing his elaborate comb over, and that there is a lot of emphasis placed on the music and fashions of the era throughout the film. However, a convoluted but ultimately satisfying plot and terrific acting by the entire cast, make this a very enjoyable picture.
Bale plays a small(ish) time crook / con artist Irving Rosenfeld, with a Russell regular, Amy Adams as his partner and lover, Sydney Prosser. Caught by Bradley Cooper’s FBI agent (Richie DiMaso), they are forced to get involved in his dubious scheme to entrap some prominent politicians into taking bribes. Chief amongst those being the New Jersey mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner). The performances of all 3 leads are spot on. An almost unrecognisable Bale, much better here than in his Oscar winning role in Russell’s The Fighter, manages to make you end up rooting for a character who on the surface is unlikeable. Renner delivers a career best performance, and Adams proves once again that she is one of the best actresses of her generation.
Jennifer Lawrence as Rosalyn, Irving’s wife, has less to do overall but the character she portrays is very intriguing. I am sure she is either very dumb or very clever, but at the end of the movie, I was still unsure! However, although only appearing in one scene, Robert De Niro as mob boss Victor Tellegio steals the film. Showing that when he stays away from broad comedies, and in the hands of a talented director (as he did in Russell’s previous film Silver Linings Playbook) he is still capable of showing what a great actor he is. Generally getting good reviews from critics in the US, audiences seem to have been divided on this film, with a common complaint that the film is boring. Whilst I don’t share that opinion, I think the 2 hour 20 minute running time is excessive. About two thirds of the way through the film, it does start to flag a little. A burgeoning relationship between Richie and Sydney feels a bit strained and rather than serving the plot, seems to slow the film down. A prime example of that, is a sequence where the 2 of them go clubbing.
What starts out as one of the film’s highlights on the dance floor, the following strange scene in the toilets adds nothing. Incidentally, the other main criticism of Adam’s bad English accent when she plays an aristocrat as part of the scam, is unfounded, as it is meant to be dubious! The fact that she lapses into it at other times nicely demonstrates how unbalanced she is. Thankfully, after that dip, the film picks up for a thrilling and neat conclusion in the last 15 minutes. I’m sure that this will be a major awards contender in the next few weeks, and it is a film well worth seeing.
Rating: 8 out of 10