American Hustle

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American Hustle

R

2013

2h 18m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

294 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) dabbles in forgery and loan-sharking, but when he falls for fellow grifter Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), things change in a big way. Caught red-handed by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), Irv and Sydney are forced to work undercover as part of DiMaso's sting operation to nail a New Jersey mayor (Jeremy Renner). Meanwhile, Irv's jealous wife (Jennifer Lawrence) may be the one to bring everyone's world crashing down. Based on the 1970s Abscam case.

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Critics Consensus

Riotously funny and impeccably cast, American Hustle compensates for its flaws with unbridled energy and some of David O. Russell's most irrepressibly vibrant direction.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Sep 6, 2017

B-

It's enjoyable and fun to watch, but just barely touches the surface of its own narrative.

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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

metro.co.uk

Sep 6, 2017

4/5

It's a sly film that slips through your fingers, leaving the glitter of great performances, but one you'll be hustling to watch again.

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

Jun 18, 2016

A movie as smart as 'American Hustle' knows that those tactile pleasures only matter if they're attached to some kind of emotional resonance.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 3, 2026

4/4

A movie that in its best moments recalls GoodFellas, with a bit of Boogie Nights thrown in to sweeten the pot.

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Allison Rose

FlickDirect

May 29, 2024

4.5/5

From acting to directing and costumes to sets, American Hustle offers the total package as far as filmmaking goes.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 19, 2022

4/5

“American Hustle” is more of a showcase of great actors than it is great storytelling, but it still keeps you glued to the screen as you watch them do their work.

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Shawna R

@Shawnarrr Aug 14, 2026

American Hustle is what happens when you put con artists, politicians, federal agents, questionable haircuts, and enough polyester to upholster a casino into one room, and then set the room on fire. Christian Bale looks like he swallowed a bowling ball, Bradley Cooper has the hair of a disco poodle, and Amy Adams could probably sell you your own house and make you thank her for the opportunity. It’s slick, filthy, hilarious, and completely insane. Five stars. I trusted absolutely nobody in this movie, and somehow trusted everybody’s wardrobe.

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Richard K

@RichardEarl2026 Jul 2, 2026

Christian Bale can do anything! This guy ... this guy can do Batman, a psycho, a warrior, a nerd, a balding guy with a bad comb-over. He can drop a hundred pounds or gain it for a movie. He's one of the best actors of our generation. Truly one of the greats. The entire cast is top-notch people working at the top of their game. A mostly true story told by a brilliant director with a great script.

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Blobbo X

@Blobbo Jun 29, 2026

Well acted/directed. Not always easy to follow? (Maybe it's Blobbo.)

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Richie S

@handsome May 3, 2026

Great story! Excellent actor and actress, keeps you hooked till the end!

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Henry D

@Henry_Domke Apr 28, 2026

Everything was over-the-top, often in a seedy and offensive way. The personalities, the music, the costumes, and especially the hair were all pushed to extremes. It was gaudy, loud, ugly, and brilliantly performed, all at the same time. The whole world of the movie felt repulsive, but it was created with remarkable skill.

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Thyaagu C

@Thyaagu Feb 25, 2026

Splitting the movie, the scenes were good, some even phenomenal. But collective as a movie? Meh. Didn't click. Rollercoaster vibes!!

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David O. Russell

Director

Christian Bale

Irving Rosenfeld

Bradley Cooper

Richie DiMaso

Jeremy Renner

Mayor Carmine Polito

Amy Adams

Sydney Prosser

Jennifer Lawrence

Rosalyn Rosenfeld

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Synopsis

Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) dabbles in forgery and loan-sharking, but when he falls for fellow grifter Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), things change in a big way. Caught red-handed by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), Irv and Sydney are forced to work undercover as part of DiMaso's sting operation to nail a New Jersey mayor (Jeremy Renner). Meanwhile, Irv's jealous wife (Jennifer Lawrence) may be the one to bring everyone's world crashing down. Based on the 1970s Abscam case.

Director: David O. Russell
Producer: Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Megan Ellison, Jonathan Gordon
Screenwriter: Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Fundamental Films, Columbia Pictures, Annapurna Pictures, Atlas Entertainment
Rating: R (Pervasive Language|Brief Violence|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 20, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 11, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $150.1M
Runtime: 2h 18m
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital

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