# American Hustle - anybody see it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020 "2013-12-23T15:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/21 "2013-12-29T13:07:07Z")
> [@Mrs.Cake](#): > > One of the friends I saw it with said “if I’m still watching the costumes ten minutes into the movie, the plot has failed. All style, little substance.” Gotta agree with her. It was kind of hard not to watch Amy Adams’s costumes, though. Did people really wear those kinds of super-low-cut top without a bra in the 70s? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/22 "2013-12-29T15:08:29Z")
The wife and I just watched it this afternoon (Sunday afternoon). It was pretty good. A little long, could have been tighter. Not as good as _Silver Linings Playbook_ but still worthwhile. I remember the Abscam scandal being in the news back then but couldn’t tell you anything about it. ---
**Author:** ![DonLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/23 "2013-12-29T15:29:09Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > It was kind of hard not to watch Amy Adams’s costumes, though. Did people really wear those kinds of super-low-cut top without a bra in the 70s? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/24 "2013-12-29T15:31:16Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Did people really wear those kinds of super-low-cut top without a bra in the 70s? Not in West Texas. Can’t speak for NYC. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/25 "2013-12-29T16:04:38Z")
I can tell you they did - even at Calle Mayor Middle School - in Los Angeles. It’s a wonder I got anything done. Or did I? It’s hard to remember. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/26 "2013-12-29T16:32:55Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > It was kind of hard not to watch Amy Adams’s costumes, though. Did people really wear those kinds of super-low-cut top without a bra in the 70s? I’m sure they wore them when they went out discoing. Her wearing them for business transactions could only mean that the director was relying on the age-old truism that men get stupid around boobs. But look at how much everyone is talking about it. From a business standpoint of his own it was a wise decision that if he had to cut costs somewhere, eliminating the bra budget was the place to start. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/27 "2013-12-29T16:36:13Z")
It was good, but over-rated. Seeing the “top critics” on Rottentomatoes say it may be better than Goodfellas is vomit-worthy. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/28 "2013-12-29T17:53:24Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > I can tell you they did - even at Calle Mayor Middle School - in Los Angeles. It’s a wonder I got anything done. > > Or did I? It’s hard to remember. Ditto at Calle Mayor’s rival, Newton Middle School. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/29 "2013-12-29T20:25:40Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > It was kind of hard not to watch Amy Adams’s costumes, though. Did people really wear those kinds of super-low-cut top without a bra in the 70s? While I enjoyed the movie, I honestly can’t remember what happened in many of Amy Adam’s scenes. I was far too distracted. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/30 "2013-12-29T22:39:47Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Ditto at Calle Mayor’s rival, Newton Middle School. Oooo… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/31 "2013-12-29T23:36:59Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > It was kind of hard not to watch Amy Adams’s costumes, though. Did people really wear those kinds of super-low-cut top without a bra in the 70s? Try the 6th image down[here.](http://www.plaidstallions.com/fashion.html) Or check out the rather ordinary looking woman [on the left.](http://vintagehandbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/studio54-09.jpg) 70’s model [Jerry Hall.](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/419960733972372892/) The 1970’s version of[Cher.](http://www.cherstyle.com/images/1970s/23.jpg) [Melissa Manchester](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9d/Melissa_Manchester_Melissa.jpg/220px-Melissa_Manchester_Melissa.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/32 "2013-12-30T00:11:09Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > While I enjoyed the movie, I honestly can’t remember what happened in many of Amy Adam’s scenes. I was far too distracted. Yeah, quite a different Adams than we saw in _Junebug_, heh. ---
**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/33 "2013-12-30T00:51:42Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Yeah, quite a different Adams than we saw in _Junebug_, heh. True. Different, too, from her role in _The Fighter._ Perhaps that’s why they call it acting? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/34 "2013-12-30T01:11:07Z")
> [@brownie55](#): > > True. Different, too, from her role in _The Fighter._ Perhaps that’s why they call it acting? And from _Enchanted_. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/35 "2013-12-30T01:24:50Z")
Speaking of Adams, I also saw _Sunshine Cleaning_ for the first time yesterday on video and she was pretty adorable in that too. Guess I’ll have to go see her in _Her_ just for completeness. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/36 "2013-12-30T04:07:23Z")
And _Catch Me If You Can_. She was legal, right? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/37 "2013-12-30T04:18:55Z")
Legal by a _decade_, I just found out. That _is_ acting! Or maybe just braces. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/38 "2013-12-30T06:15:07Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > The one element that I never could figure out - > > is how Christian Bale got away with his original scam for more than five minutes. He takes money, gives nothing back - and sits in the same office to greet the next sucker. Why wasn’t he being pursued by guys with baseball bats? They were defined as being desperate. They knew where he was. Not to mention that somebody obviously went to the FBI. How was this supposed to work? It’s a textbook Ponzi Scheme. After stringing along initial investors for as long as possible, you pay them off (in full or partially) with the money invested by the latest round of investors. Stringing them along, plying their frustrations with promises and endless excuses, finding and redefining investors’ breaking points is where the con artist really shines – or so one would imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/39 "2013-12-30T07:57:25Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I was repulsed by Bale from the first scene but cheering for him by the end (incidentally it would be hard to see him in character from this movie next to his character from _The Fighter_ or his Batman and believe they are the same actor.) Yep. Also in the theaters now, well, some theaters, is [Out Of The Furnace](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206543/reference) with Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Sam Shephard, Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker and Zoe Saldana. It’s the 2nd movie directed by Scott Cooper, who directed Jeff Bridges to a Best Actor Academy Award in 2009’s Crazy Heart. He’s fantastic with actors and Bale is amazing in it. He plays a decent, sweet, kind, hard-working man who runs into some bad luck, overcomes that, then is pushed to the breaking point by a bunch of redneck criminals. Bale is in almost every scene, and the majority of the movie is getting to know the character before all hell breaks loose at the end. It’s not a big movie, it’s not a great movie, but it’s a good, solid movie and deserves a lot more respect than it’s been getting IMO. In any case, you’d hardly find two very different characters played by the same man, in theaters at the same time. I believe this is the performance Bale should be getting Oscar talk about. Speaking of two very different characters, but played by the same women, in theaters now… [QUOTE=Skammer] Speaking of Adams, I also saw Sunshine Cleaning for the first time yesterday on video and she was pretty adorable in that too. Guess I’ll have to go see her in Her just for completeness. [/QUOTE] **Her** is absolutely wonderful. Adams doesn’t have a big role, but she’s adorable in it, playing a very down-to-earth neighbor of Joaquin Phoenix’s character. She doesn’t show any skin at all, and the character wears not a bit of makeup (yeah, I know, a lot of makeup was used to give her that “no makeup” look, but still, she couldn’t be more different from Sydney). Special mention is Jennifer Lawrence, currently playing two very different characters: the glamorous, ditzy but not-quite-as-dumb-as-she-seems Rosalyn in American Hustle and the reluctant revolutionary hero Katniss in Catching Fire. There are so many good actors in this movie. Overshadowed by the big names are Michael Peña in the tiny but fun role of “Sheik Abdullah” and Louis C.K. as the long-suffering Stoddard Thorsen (thanks for mentioning him **Skammer** ). Did anyone else notice that Robert De Niro is not credited for playing mob boss Victor Tellegio? Even in the IMDB cast list, he’s listed in the “Rest of cast listed alphabetically” section. I thought it was a great cameo. I freaked out a bit when Tellegio started speaking Arabic! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020/40 "2013-12-30T14:58:50Z")
> [@diggerwam](#): > > Most enjoyable movie I’ve seen in the theatre in a very long time. Not ground breaking but very entertaing. Disappointed no Led Zep on the soundtrack. According to IMDB, “Good Times, Bad Times” is on the soundtrack. I don’t remember it in the movie though. > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I mostly agree with everybody here, both the good parts and the bad. The reason to go see is for the performances, which ranged from decent (poor miscast Jeremy Renner) to fantabulous. Though the movie fails the Bechtel Test - the only time the women talk is about a man\* - both Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams had strong and distinct roles, and the movie would have suffered without them. Neither were necessary to the caper plot - there’s a ton of similar movies without women - but they were necessary to this movie’s plot, which was more about character. The hairdos and their prep were characters in their own right. Look at all the scenes with curlers. I liked that too, that Lawrence and Adams had such great and distinctive characters. The characters were also different than any I think I’ve seen either actress play before, and both were played very well. It’s true the movie didn’t pass the Bechtel Test, but that’s not the only criteria for good writing for women. Also the movie is a fictionalization of the Abscam story, but apparently neither woman was really part of the scam. The story could have easily been done with both characters as minor characters who are just on screen for 5 minutes each. But I liked that they were included in the story. > [@MC\_E](#): > > I’ve permanently renamed my microwave “the science oven”. Ha, me too! > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I’m sure they wore them when they went out discoing. Her wearing them for business transactions could only mean that the director was relying on the age-old truism that men get stupid around boobs. But look at how much everyone is talking about it. From a business standpoint of his own it was a wise decision that if he had to cut costs somewhere, eliminating the bra budget was the place to start. Right, her costuming made sense to me. Adams’ character wasn’t a legit businesswoman trying to prove herself in a man’s world. She was a conman trying to prevent suckers from thinking straight. I’m guessing the average woman in the 70’s didn’t dress like that to go to work and buy groceries and do other everyday things. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-hustle-anybody-see-it/677020.md?page=3)