American Hustle (2013), R, 4 stars

Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence are having a party.

The 1970's were basically a glorious time for people just celebrating the decadence with shiny ambiance and festivities that were going around the cities that were doing well. You have to wonder though, what is behind that decadence? There's got to be some scandalous controversy and activity going on behind the scenes. The 1970s is still defined as a "pivot of change" going on social and economical and political forces in America. However, there was an operation that takes place in the late 1970s called the ABSCAM operation and ends in the 1980s. This movie explores some of the operation but also delves into all of the characters' issues and participation during the scam. And, wow, this movie is a riot.

This movie opens in April 28, 1978 where Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), a hefty Jewish man who is in a room in the Plaza Suite in New York, is just combing his hair to cover his bald spot for several minutes. It is a hilarious situation for any man who wants to improve his appearance, so what does he do? He just gives up and hairsprays his hair. Irving goes to another hotel room where a surveillance team is recording the audio and video of another room. Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), Irving's partner and lover, participates in the scam with FBI agent Richie Dimaso (Bradley Cooper). Obviously, during a quarrel between Irving and Richie about Sydney, Richie kind of has a crush on Sydney.

The three people participating in the operation meet with Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner), who recently legalized gambling in Atlantic City and wants to renovate the city but he is having financial issues raising the money. However, Richie's plan is to entrap Polito and requests a big financial transfer in an FBI-controlled account from his boss (Louis C.K.), but Richie's boss is basically a jerk. But, Richie successfully transfers the money behind his boss' back by having his secretary (Colleen Camp) doing the work. When this successful transfer is finalized, Richie's boss, Thornton, cannot terminate the operation.

Irving is married to Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), who both have a rocky and unstable marriage, and Irving refuses to divorce her because he fears that she might take away their son, David, from him. Rosalyn and Irving go out to dinner with Polito and his wife and Rosalyn surprisingly charms the table but then gets drunk and falls out of the chair. Irving and Polito bond during the dinner and he begins getting guilty to know that he's getting really close to successfully trapping Polito. How is this going to end for all of the characters?

Bale, Adams, and Cooper just walking so calmly.

This movie was a whole lot of fun just seeing so much of the humor and suspense that was unfolding during the whole movie. There was not a wasted scene in this movie. It seems that the movie really wants us to witness the whole flashy style of the 1970s and the 1980s and see how much fun all of these characters are having but also witnessing all of the characters' emotions about how the implications will turn out to be after the operation is finished. For example, Irving's guilt symbolizes the tension between him and his job to destroy Polito's reputation despite his friendly bond with him. It is a character study between all of the major character because all characters have some relevance with at least one of the other major characters and that could create heavy impact in the end.

Christian Bale took the risk of gaining weight for the role and he delivers. Bradley Cooper is sensational as this hothead FBI agent who wants to make a name for himself in this operation and also who wants to have a relationship with Sydney. And, holy crap, I've never seen Amy Adams in a sexier role than her role as Irving's partner, Sydney. She blends with the 70s ambiance and also delivers a really good "fake British" accent. Jeremy Renner is gregarious as the mayor but makes the audience feel sympathetic towards his character. Even though her role is small, Jennifer Lawrence steals every scene that she's in. She is so dynamic and versatile and excellent as a struggling mother and unstable wife. She is certain to get an Oscar nomination.

Of course, the whole cast is terrific but the credit goes to David O. Russell, the director. As far as I'm concerned, this is three great movies in a row: The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook, and this one. I think that this is his best movie because it is so energetic and fast-paced. I hate to say this but his movie had some sparks of Martin Scorsese's GoodFellas, which is one of my favorite movies of all-time. O'Russell has some contrasting stylistic directional mechanisms with the narration and editing and camera moves. I guess, Scorsese really inspired him. This movie is a character-driven, exhilarating and fun comedy-drama. This is undoubtedly and unquestionably one of the best and funnest movies of the year.

****