American Hustle (2013)

Film and Plot Synopsis

American Hustle takes place in 1978 with a brilliant con man named Irving Rosenfeld and his cunning British partner, Sydney Prosser, working for an intense FBI agent named Richie DiMaso. DiMaso introduces them into the world of powerful Jersey brokers and shadowy mafia members that’s as dangerous as it is alluring. Carmine Polito is a volatile New Jersey political operator who finds himself caught between the con-artists and Feds. Throw in Irving’s unpredictable wife, Rosalyn, and you have the makings of a secret sting that can come crashing down at any moment.

‘American Hustle’ Movie Summary

American Hustle is based on a true story. In the early 1970’s, a fraudster with a bad comb over named Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) teams up with Sydney Prosser and her alter ego, Lady Evelyn (Amy Adams). She’s a girl he connects with while attending the same party the Cold Cut King of Long Island throws. However, Irving is married to Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence); a loving, yet unpredictable women with a penchant to speak the truth. She has a young son who isn’t Irving’s birth son, but a kid whom he loves and takes under his wing.

Soon, Syd and Irving start scamming innocent business identities out of money for bogus investments. Unfortunately for them, Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) leads the Feds on a sting to nab the two. Instead of just busting the pair, and turning them into the prison system, Richie recruits them to work for him; proposing to set-up of corrupt politicians with one particular mayor in mind named Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner).

Carmine doesn’t like Richie, who is playing an advisor to an imaginary Sheik—a Sheik who eventually has to appear, and only an undercover FBI agent of Mexican heritage is available to pretend to be him. Rustling up a fake Sheik comes with a 2-million dollars in a (chase) account.

Irving and Syd go their separate ways so Richie can think he stands a chance with Syd even though he has a fiancee that he doesn’t acknowledge. Everyone is playing everyone really, but Irving and Syd are in control the whole time. 

Soon Irving meets Carmine, and the boys hit it off right away. Carmine gives his new pal a gift; the newest kitchen appliance on the market, a science oven which is actually a prototype of a microwave oven. Sadly the gift doesn’t last long in the Rosenfeld kitchen. Roslyn ignores the warnings and puts metal in the oven whilst on; immediately igniting a fire in the house.

During a big meeting with international casino owners, Richie, as an advisor to the Sheik in attendance, finds out a big criminal mastermind is in the house from Miami. Mr. Tellagio (Robert DeNiro) has a sit down with the Sheik and entourage, all ending up well after some earlier tense moments.

With the stakes higher now for the Feds, things escalate—all which lead up to a massive sting of epic proportions; including a reappearance of the Cold Cut King of Long Island where he successfully masquerades as the attorney of Mr. Dellagio of Miami in order to extort more money wired into an account that disappears immediately.  

In the end, the Feds don’t convict Irving and Syd. The two start a legit art dealing business where they live happily ever after with Irving’s adopted son; occasionally visiting as Roslyn and her new Beau, a hitman whom she met the night Irving was in cahoots with Feds setting up Tellagio. 

A bunch of politicians caught on tape as part of the sting operation are taken down publicly as is Carmine. However Irving helps Carmine reduce the sentence by returning the money because he’s a true friend. The Feds take the credit, and never mention Richie’s name—he’s kind of incompetent anyhow.

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