'American Hustle' brings together frequent David O. Russell collaborators for a '70s story
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
Actors Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence reunite with 鈥�Silver Linings Playbook鈥� director David O. Russell for Russell鈥檚 newest film, 鈥�American Hustle.鈥�
鈥淗ustle,鈥� which entered wide release Dec. 20, stars 海角大神 Bale as scammer Irving Rosenfeld, actress Amy Adams as Sydney Prosser, his partner-in-crime and lover, and Lawrence as Irving鈥檚 unpredictable wife. When FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper) catches Irving and Sydney at their crimes, he enlists them to help take down a group of politicians who aren鈥檛 on the up-and-up.
The story is based on the ABSCAM operation, which was launched in the 1970s, and the movie also co-stars actors Jeremy Renner, Robert De Niro, and Jack Huston.
Many are pointing to the movie as a possible awards season darling and 鈥淗ustle鈥� has already received nods from the Screen Actors Guild Awards, which are often a signal for what may win big at awards ceremonies later in the year like the Oscars. The movie received a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (the SAG equivalent of Best Picture) and Lawrence received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.聽
Russell, who was also behind such films as the 2010 movie 鈥�The Fighter鈥� and 2002鈥檚 鈥淎daptation,鈥� spoke with about working with actors more than once (Bale and Adams worked with the director in 鈥淭he Fighter鈥� and De Niro starred in 鈥淧laybook鈥�).聽
鈥淭hey're great collaborators,鈥� he said of the group. 鈥淚 write the roles while I'm in deep conversations with them at their homes or on the phone. It inspires me to write for them and to want to deliver a role that's worthy of them and to let them use every range of their behaviors in new ways that will surprise them and audiences.鈥�
Meanwhile, Adams contrasted her character, Sydney, with happier roles she鈥檚 had in the past in movies like 鈥淭he Muppets鈥� and 鈥淓nchanted.鈥�
鈥淸Sydney] is the most miserable human being I鈥檝e ever played,鈥� she said in an interview with the . 鈥淪he is not happy. I鈥檓 used to playing people that, even if they鈥檙e survivors, there鈥檚 some sort of light in them. I don鈥檛 know that she has that, necessarily. I think I like playing happy people.鈥�
