Bulging eyes, mouth agape, jaws dropping and a delightful trance.

Well, that sums up my euphoric state as I sat through the sizzling Oscar favorite American Hustle this evening.

Showcasing powerful visual appeal and sterling acting enriched by a gripping story, American Hustle is worthy of all the praise lavished on it since the film debuted on December 20, 2013 in the U.S.

Director David O. Russell (of Silver Linings Playbook fame), who also shares credit for the screenplay, has accomplished a stellar feat with American Hustle.

And unless you’ve been hiding under your mattress, you know American Hustle has snagged 10 Oscar nominations and just last Sunday picked up three Golden Globes.

Better Late Than Never

I know, I know.

Moi should have seen the film a month earlier, particularly since it features my inamorata Jennifer Lawrence.

The movie is loosely based on the the FBI sting operation leading to the Abscam scandal in the late 1970s.

But the actual Abscam sting itself is not that big a deal in the movie.

All the drama is in the rich and deliciously insane comical patina leading up to the sting.

When two small time crooks Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Lady Edith/Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) are trapped by FBI agent Richard DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) during one of their swindles, the way out of jail is not easy for Lady Edith.

They have to find four other crooks for the FBI before Edith can get a free pass.

I’ve never been a big fan of Christian Bale until today, but now I’m in love with the guy.

Bale’s portrayal of Irving, he with the weird hairdo, crazy wife, passionate mistress and constant hustling, is nothing short of riveting.

True, the beauty and drama of a film like American Hustle lies in the sum of its many parts. But some parts like Bale’s performance stand head and shoulders over other parts.

Jennifer Lawrence, I’ve been smitten with since Winter’s Bone.

In American Hustle, she doesn’t have as big a role as Christian Bale, Amy Adams or Bradley Cooper. But she’s got the whackiest and most hilarious role.

What about Amy Adams? Her itsy-bitsy titties were hanging out for much of the movie sending some local desi yokels into a drooling fit of sextasy.

I do not believe Amy Adams is in the Jennifer Lawrence class but she was definitely good in this film. Was she Oscar-worthy good?  We’ll know next month.

Jeremy Brenner as Mayor Carmine Polito and Louis C.K. as Stoddard Thorsen (Richard’s FBI boss) leave their mark even in lesser roles.

With American Hustle, director David O. Russell has delivered an embarras de richesses.

SearchIndia.com is delighted to strongly recommend the amazingly lovely American Hustle.

The movie is playing in theaters across America.

  Jennifer Lawrence