American Hustle: Worthy of its Seven Golden Globes?

David O. Russell is a bit of a niche director. All his films are deeply actor and character led, with a hazy plot that never really announces itself other than to provide situations to show off acting ability and character development. It all tends to be about having a social conscience and Doing What's Right for the Community. A faintly useless man has his love for The Right Woman tested, only to end up reaffirming his feelings for her in a wholesome style. I could go on.

This is all being a little harsh on poor Mr Russell. In fact I did really enjoy American Hustle. True, sometimes watching it felt a bit like wading through treacle, but as we all know, treacle is rather tasty. And to continue with this rather odd analogy, American Hustle is saturated with really brilliant moments. Christian Bale's mistress and wife confronting each other in the ladies'. Bradley Cooper's heated exchanges with his long suffering, ice fishing boss. Jennifer Lawrence singing Live or Let Die to her baffled child, who is just thankful that she's not indulging her pyromaniac habits (it seems she hasn't changed much since The Burning Plain).

American Hustle is a lot like Silver Linings Playbook. Both have really stupid names for starters. Both have Bradley Cooper talking at a million miles per hour and with vague anger management issues, and both have Jennifer Lawrence playing stormy women you would not like to meet on a dark night. But whilst whilst Silver Linings Playbook is about mental disorders, American Hustle is about...hair. I have never seen such a variety of over-the-top hairstyles on display. A balding Christian Bale has the most elaborate comb over you will ever see, whilst Bradley Cooper's hair is a nest of tiny little ringlets, we even have the pleasure of seeing him with his curlers in. Jeremy Renner meanwhile has a quiff that simply defies gravity, and for many, all sense of taste. Meanwhile, much of the film is an exercise in How Many Different Angles Can We See Amy Adam's Bare Cleavage From. My only conclusion is that the woman must be allergic to bras.

Despite all this, I seem to be failing to answer the question of whether American Hustle is any good or not. The truth is, I don't really know. David O Russell has developed a unique style that is not to everyone's tastes, I'm not quite sure if it appeals to mine. But rest assured, although on the whole the movie may be a bit of a disappointment, if a film is the sum of its parts, American Hustle is very, very good.

Rating: 8/10