American Hustle evokes a feel similar to Scorsese’s films from the nineteen seventies, though the violence is exchanged for dark humor instead. Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, and Bradley Cooper all provide noteworthy performances. Robert De Niro appears in a brief role and serves as a reminder of his past status as one of cinema's finest actors. The film is a black comedy-drama taking place in the late seventies and inspired by the real-life Abscam scandal. It involves FBI agents teaming up with con artists to set up politicians for bribery. Bale portrays a hustler who’s gained weight and has an unfortunate hairstyle. Amy Adams plays his accomplice, posing as an English aristocrat. They've amassed wealth through a scheme involving fake loan arrangement fees. Cooper embodies the driven FBI agent, full of himself, who is targeting the mafia but may be in over his head. Jeremy Renner portrays the charming mayor of New Jersey, a man with good intentions who Bale feels bad about drawing into the sting. Director David O Russell elicits strong performances from the actors, but the film’s pacing suffers, which diminishes both the narrative and the comedic elements; at times, the humor seems forced.

Source on TMDB