THE REASON FOR THIS LONG EXPLANATION IS THIS: THERE IS ALMOST NO REAL CHARACTER SEQUENCING OR MEANING OR IMPORT OR THEMATIC COHESION OR DIRECT PURPOSE TO MOST OF THE SCENES IN AMERICAN HUSTLE.
THAT MAY SEEM LIKE A MEAN EMBELLISHMENT, BUT TRY RETROACTIVELY MAKING A BEAT SHEET FOR THAT MOVIE. MOST OF THE TIME YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IT IS A) REHASHING THE SAME BITS OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, OR B) INDULGING IN AN UNPRODUCTIVE TANGENT, OR C) LAYING A FEW BITS OF EXPOSITION THAT WON'T ACTUALLY HAVE RELEVANCY, OR D) GOING BACK ON AN EARLIER POINT, OR E) LINKING SCENES CONSTANTLY WITH "AND THENS" OR F) MAKING A CONTRADICTORY POINT THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AWARE IT'S A CONTRADICTION. HONESTLY IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE A FIRST DRAFT. SURE, THERE ARE TALKING POINTS CONCERNING WHAT THE FILM WANTS TO BE "ABOUT" (LOYALTY, WANT, HUSTLING, TRUST, ETC), BUT REALLY IT'S NOT BACKING THOSE THINGS UP WITH STORY OR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. THERE'S NO COORDINATED APPROACH. WHICH MEANS IT'S NOT ACTUALLY SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE THINGS, IT'S ONLY "ABOUT" THOSE THINGS (SAVE FOR ONE COHERENT AND TROUBLING IDEA HULK WILL GET INTO LATER). THE EFFECT OF ALL THIS IS THAT EVERY SCENE OF AMERICAN HUSTLE COMES ACROSS LIKE IT DOESN'T CARE WHAT IT'S SAYING. EVEN IF THE FILM IS "FULLY WRITTEN," IT JUST ENDS UP FEELING LIKE THE ACTORS WERE IMPROVISING (AND NOT IN THE GOOD WAY). IT FEELS LIKE THE CHARACTERS ARE ALL UNHINGED AND REACTING TO EACH OTHER IN WAYS THAT DON'T FIT, AS IF EACH ONE IS IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MOVIE. THEIR BEHAVIOR ISN'T EVEN MATCHING LINE-READINGS. IT'S WEIRD. THERE'S NOTHING TO GRAB ONTO. EVERYTHING IS JUST "OFF."
