The Only Movie I saw on the 2014 Oscar Nominee List for Best Picture: American Hustle

moviereview

One of the things I really miss doing is watching a movie in a theatre.  Most parents with a child under 6 months old can tell you the last movie they saw in a theatre before the baby arrived.  Mine was The Amazing Spiderman.  Oh what a memory.  It may not necessarily have been a good movie, but that movie will bring back good memories of “the days of freedom.”

I knew that during the Christmas holidays my parents would watch the baby so I had to make sure I chose a good one.  I was sold on American Hustle after hearing David Edelstein’s review on NPR’s Fresh Air.  I have seen and really liked other movies David O’Russell directed, Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, and The Fighter – mostly for the interesting characters’ mix of grit and charm.

American Hustle has an all-star cast of really versatile actors.  It’s no surprise they are all Oscar nominees.  Christian Bale tops the list with a transformation into  a combed-over, pot bellied, yet strangely sexy con man.  He is so convincing in this role I had to stop a few times to remind myself it was him.  I first saw Amy Adams in Julie and Julia.  Since then, she has slowly grown on me and after her stellar performance in American Hustle, I can say I’m a fan.  Bradley Cooper does an excellent job of portraying a character which you can love, hate, and feel a little sorry for because you might be able to relate.  Jennifer Lawrence brings some comic relief to the movie.  She really commands the screen, you forget she is only 23 years old.  Although he is not a nominee, Jeremy Renner‘s portrayal and accent of a New Jersey mayor does not skip a beat.

American Hustle is 138 minutes of drama, intensity, comedy, fashion, and music.  It so well written and acted, that at no time during the movie did I feel the need to check the time.  I walked away strutting to “Don’t Leave Me This Way” playing in my head, thinking about Bradley Cooper’s tight curls, and wondering if 70’s cleavage is going to make a comeback.

American Hustle is nominated for 10 Oscars:

  1. Best Picture
  2. Actor in a Leading Role (Christian Bale)
  3. Actress in a Leading Role (Amy Adams)
  4. Actor in a in a Supporting Role (Bradley Cooper)
  5. Actress in a Supporting Role (Jennifer Lawrence)
  6. Costume Design (Michael Wilkinson)
  7. Directing (David O’Russell)
  8. Film Editing (Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten)
  9. Production Design (Judy Becker (Production Design); Heather Loeffler (Set Decoration)
  10. Writing, Original Screenplay (Written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell)
I HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THIS MOVIE

Relevant Links

American Hustle official movie website

The Oscars website

2014 Oscar Nominees

westsidemommy

I am a new mom to a baby girl. I live in West Los Angeles. This blog is about my experiences as a new mom and navigating my way through kid-friendly L.A.

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