American Hustle (2013)

Let’s address the comb-over first, since the movie literally opens on Christian Bale building one like a man assembling a bookshelf with no instructions. That’s the whole film in one shot: elaborate, sweaty and held together by spray. Nobody can explain the actual con. I watched it twice and still couldn’t diagram it. What you get instead is a costume party with great actors in it. Bradley Cooper’s FBI guy sits in hair curlers like it’s a tactical decision. Amy Adams flips between two accents and somehow keeps both. Jennifer Lawrence walks in, calls a microwave a science oven, and steals every scene she’s in, which isn’t nearly enough of them. Critics loved it to a 90 on Metacritic, while IMDb voters settled on a 7.2, and the voters noticed the plot. It made $251.2 million worldwide on a reported $40M. A 6.8 because the performances are a blast and the story is a shrug in a fur coat. $4,976 says you can’t explain the con to anyone an hour after the credits, and you’ll try anyway.

What works: Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams light up every scene, and the 70s costumes and hair are basically a cast member.

What doesn’t: The actual con is so muddy that you stop following the plot and just watch the outfits.

Who it’s for: People who watch movies for the performances and don’t need the scheme to make sense.