Down and Dirty: A worthy crime drama that shows you what it
means to hustle
Director: David O. Russell
Big Names: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy
Renner, and Jennifer Lawrence
Director David O. Russell decided to follow up his
incredible ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ with this throwback crime drama about a
federal sting operation surrounding con artists in the 1970’s. It is a worthy
successor to say the least. Russell tackles a different genre than any he has
previously worked in, but he navigates the new terrain masterfully.
In short, the story follows a couple of top class con
artists (Christian Bale, Amy Adams) who are forced to work on behalf of the FBI
(Bradley Cooper) in order to maintain their freedom. They begin targeting a
local politician (Jeremy Renner) who has extensive power in the New England area. Though we don’t spoil
anything for you on this blog, you should know what you’re walking into. This
movie revolves around not knowing – meaning that you’re constantly guessing
who’s double crossing who, where people’s allegiance lies, and what’s in it for
the parties involved. It keeps you thinking. It keeps you engaged.
This is due, in large part, to the cast Russell has
assembled. Christian Bale put on a good amount of weight to portray a sleazy
but lovable con artist and it paid off. He embodies this part to a T. From the
comb over to the gut to the tinted shades, his physical appearance is
endearingly comical. Amy Adams has an amazing scene where she voices over why
her character is interested in Bale. It’s fantastic. It puts you in her
character’s head while providing you with the up-and-down visuals that make
Bale so spectacular. He really embraces the role. He is effortlessly smooth,
smart, and sly in nearly every scene. You’ll quickly find yourself rooting for
him despite his vices and broken understanding of how to be successful.
And that’s the biggest thing. His understanding of what life
is about is truly broken. He has a family and a wife, albeit a crazy one played
sufficiently by Jennifer Lawrence, who loves him. But he would much rather be
spending his time with a woman who matches up to his own caliber of deception –
a true con artist. Amy Adams plays the love interest incredibly well. Sexy, sensual,
and just as smooth as Bale, they formulate a dynamic duo ready to take on the
world. Unfortunately, this lifestyle simply isn’t sustainable. Illegally
preying on the financially ignorant is equal parts dangerous, lucrative, and
immoral and when the FBI catches up with you they don’t play around. They use
you for their own gain. If there is one thing you learn from this movie it is
that everyone has an angle. Everyone is in it for something. There is no
shortage of skin in the game. What might surprise you though is who really
represents what. Can the immoral con artists be used as tools for eliminating
corruption? Is that corruption worth taking down when it actually helps the
greater good? Who decides what defines the greater good? What happens when the
lines get blurred?
This movie tries to answer those questions while also taking
you straight back to the 1970’s. As a 90’s baby, I simply don’t know what it
was like back then. Thanks to this film I now have some idea. The impeccable
soundtrack and the outrageous outfits (Bradley Cooper jerry curl included)
truly set the scene for the audience. As a reference point, my parents left the
theatre feeling absolutely nostalgic and giddy about the representation of the
70’s within the film, even singing some of the songs they had just heard for
the first time in a few decades.
As far as crime dramas go, this ranks up there with the best
of them. It feels like The Sting or L.A Confidential for the next generation
(check both of those out if you haven’t seen them). Overall though, there have
been too many other good films this year for me to put this in award
contention, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Bale got a nomination for his role.
His versatility as an actor cannot be understated. Russell chose him for a
reason. If this genre tickles your fancy or you appreciate a really terrific
ensemble of actors, I would highly recommend American Hustle. Don’t let the critics
con you, this film won’t disappoint.
