The conman himself, Irving Rosenfeld, is played by Christian Bale. It seems as though Bale was born to play nearly every role in which he's cast, and this movie is no exception. When Bale plays Irving, the actor who once played Batman is nowhere to be found; instead the screen displays a character that has come to life through the star's superior acting abilities.
While Amy Adams plays his business partner and lover, Sydney Prosser, the sensational Jennifer Lawrence plays Irving's wife, Rosalyn. Adams' performance certainly left something to be desired, but Lawrence's portrayal of a nonsensical, jealous-type almost makes up for it.
What makes this story unique is the manner in which it's told, in the sense that the story is narrated through voice overs from three different points of view: Irving's, Sydney's and that of the FBI officer in charge of their work, Richie DiMaso, played by Bradley Cooper. (Cooper's acting, by the way, was good, yet not quite as impressive as his performance in Silver Linings Playbook.)
In addition, this film is a fun watch because of the amount of attention that was paid to creating a convincing setting of the late 1970s. While the actors, directors and producers deserve quite a bit of respect in the making of any film, this one owes a lot to the amazing work done by the costume designers, as well as the hair and makeup artists. (Also, the soundtrack and cinematography made for an all around immersive viewing experience.)
All of this being said, this film (in my opinion) isn't quite worth an Academy Award, but it's certainly worthy of recognition for it's unique story and illustration of how hustling is not only applicable to money, but also to relationships and personal identities.
Grade: B+
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