Does anyone else hate AMERICAN HUSTLE? (1 Viewer)

[trajan]

I can just see it--a four hour directors cut God help us.

 

[MarkA]

I was extremely disappointed in it after all of the hype. Sorry I blind bought this one.

 

[CraigF]

I can just see it--a four hour directors cut God help us.

My feeling too after watching the BD. OTOH I have seen movies in a DC of ~3 hours that were great, compared to the theatrical ~2-hour cut that was all wrong. I'm willing to give this another chance, if there's ever a longer cut.

 

[Dr Griffin]

Setting the comedy aspects aside for a second, wasn't De Niro a scarey f***? The tension in that scene was palpable. I was worried for my own life! He was greatly effective in his short appearance. And, uncredited! One of the greats.

 

[Ruz-El]

Setting the comedy aspects aside for a second, wasn't De Niro a scarey f***? The tension in that scene was palpable. I was worried for my own life! He was greatly effective in his short appearance. And, uncredited! One of the greats.

That was the best part of the film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Setting the comedy aspects aside for a second, wasn't De Niro a scarey f***? The tension in that scene was palpable. I was worried for my own life! He was greatly effective in his short appearance. And, uncredited! One of the greats.

Yes, it was one of my favorite scenes on the film.

 

[RJ992]

An alternate sanitized universe version of the 70s...as if no one smoked.

 

[Tina_H_V]

I liked it. It is, to me, a different kind of view and with repeated viewings, I like it even more.

 

[Matt Hough]

Unless the Twilight Time releases arrive or some TV box sets for review come today, I'm looking at a free evening, and I think it'll be American Hustle that I'll be watching so I can add an opinion on it.

 

[Sam Favate]

I also loved it. One of my favorite films of last year, and very deserving IMO of all the Oscar nods it got (and then some). Sorry some folks didn't care for it. Eye of the beholder.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I will admit up front I am a fan of Russell's work so that said...yes, I enjoyed the film. It is a comedy and I did laugh a lot watching it. I will say I did not like it as much as his other films. I think Silver Linings, Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees are all much better films but American Hustle is pretty entertaining.

I think it felt like Russell had fallen in love a bit too much with both his actors and characters here and did not quite get them to where they needed to be to make this whole thing click...so in some ways American Hustle does feel a little like a work in progress. Some of the scenes feel a little like watching the actors rehearsing and trying different things to see what works and like Russell never actually found a take that went where he wanted it to go. It certainly seems like a pretty ramshackle vehicle at times.

 

[Matt Hough]

I watched it tonight. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. I did think sequences in the second half particularly seemed a bit tatty as if the pieces in the editing just didn't quite fit right. But I can see why the performances received nominations. I can see why Jennifer Lawrence almost won another Oscar (and did win the SAG Award). Her character irritated the crap out of me meaning it was completely successful and on point. The twist wasn't nearly as wonderful as the ones in The Sting, but I was pleased by the way it wrapped up.

 

[trajan]

My understanding is that much of the movie was improvised and it shows

 

[TravisR]

My understanding is that much of the movie was improvised...

I've noticed a tendency amongst actors to think that because they add a line that actually makes the final cut, they like to say that a lot of the dialogue was improvised. I buy that when it comes to comedies but outside of that, I think it's just another way for actors to say how great they are to journalists on a press junket rather than being true.

 

[Thomas T]

I've noticed a tendency amongst actors to think that because they add a line that actually makes the final cut, they like to say that a lot of the dialogue was improvised. I buy that when it comes to comedies but outside of that, I think it's just another way for actors to say how great they are to journalists on a press junket rather than being true.

I've been on a lot of movie sets and it goes on more than you would think. I know Robert Altman, for one, encouraged it.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

My understanding is that much of the movie was improvised and it shows

I could see that being the case and I think there are moments in the film where the performances of Cooper, Lawrence, and Adams sag and feel a little forced...I would not say they are bad just moments where the seams show a bit too much. However, if this is the case with all the actors then I would have to say both Bale and Renner (who honestly nails every scene he is in) are pretty spectacular here. Bale I think has done some of his finest work under Russell in The Fighter and this and I will admit I'm not really a Bale fan. Renner was great in The Hurt Locker and I think this performance lives up to that film as he really brings it in American Hustle.

Edit:

I would also have to say that Louis C.K. is actually very good in his role as Cooper's beleaguered boss and really adds to the proceedings every time he is on screen.