American
Hustle
(2013/Sony Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
B & C+ Sound: B & C+ Extras: C+ Film: B-
PLEASE
NOTE:
This film has been issued in a great, upgraded 4K edition and you can
read more about it at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/16450/American+Hustle+4K+(2013/4K+Ultra+HD+Blu-ra
Now
for the original review...
David
O. Russell's American
Hustle
(2013) is a somewhat fictionalized version of the infamous 1970s
ABSCAM affair where federal agents went after mobsters and landed up
going after gangsters instead in a mess that closely followed
Watergate. Bradley Cooper is an overly ambitious FBI agent who think
he may have an opportunity to get some major arrests going when he
helps to nab two con artists (Christian Bale and Amy Adams) offering
them a big break from prison if they help him.
They
reluctantly agree and the amusing madness begins with Bale's old con
artist having the additional problem of a wacky, loud wife (Jennifer
Lawrence) who complains about everything, cannot keep her mouth shut
has no idea what is gong on, cares about their son and wants more in
her life than she has while having zero inhibitions in the process.
He also has a connection to a major politician (Jeremy Renner) who is
mixed up with some mobsters and all these dysfunctional connections
can only be a recipe for trouble.
Eric
Warren Singer (The
International)
co-wrote the screenplay with the director which tends to be as
literate as it is hilarious, while Russell has an amazing cast all
working at their best (all too rare these days) and a pacing that is
a plus. The only things holding this back are the fictionalizing is
on he loose side and the film covers ground we have seen before
(Scorsese's films, which are acknowledged here in a way I will not
ruin and films taking place in the 1970s like Anderson's Boogie
Nights
and Stillman's The
Last Days Of Disco)
but this is one of the best films of 2013 just the same and one more
than worth your time. Just don't go in with wildly high expectations
and you'll get more out of it. Louis C.K. Michael Pena, Colleen Camp
and Anthony Zerbe also star.
The
1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image goes out of its way to
approximate what Eastmancolor (et al) would look like and
Director of Photography Linus Sandgren (6
Souls,
Promised
Land)
shot this in 35mm Techniscope (2-perf) in what would be one of the
last-ever films to be shot on Fuji Film. The look works and is very
consistent throughout, mostly achieving the look they go for, though
fine detail is a slight issue, some of that is from the styling, the
other from the format. The anamorphically enhanced DVD version's
image is much weaker and a little disappointing.
The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix is nice, rich, warm and
full, only using all the multi-channel possibilities staying period
as it does. Music sounds good too, though some songs (Elton John)
are from true 5.1 mixes while others are not necessarily. I liked
the sound design overall and the
lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 on the DVD is passable, but again, no match
for the Blu-ray.
Extras
include Digital HD Ultraviolet Copy for PC, PC portable and iTunes
capable devices, while the Blu-ray adds a Making Of featurette and
Deleted & Extended Scenes.
-
Nicholas Sheffo
