Fortunately for fans of American Hustle, the crime drama’s newfound streaming success is good, real and far from fake. David O. Russell’s Oscar-nominated ’70s period piece has recently found renewed popularity on Paramount+, emerging as one of the streamer’s top offerings just a few months after hitting the platform.
As of Dec. 10, American Hustle is currently holding third place on Paramount+’s weekly top 10 list in the United States, per data from FlixPatrol. Before hitting the Paramount Skydance-owned platform, American Hustle was only available to stream on Pluto TV, also owned by Paramount Skydance, before making the switch to its new home on August 1.
Considering its initial successes, this renewed interest in American Hustle is far from surprising. The gangster flick quickly emerged as both a critical and box office hit shortly after its 2013 release, earning three Golden Globe wins and 10 Academy Award nominations, among other accolades. American Hustle also resonated with everyday moviegoers, earning an impressive $250 million at the box office, a sum roughly six times its $40 million budget.
Even 12 years later, American Hustle has still managed to boogie on down through film history. The movie currently holds a 92 percent Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes in an apparent testament to both its sharp sense of humor and its star-studded lineup. Featuring powerhouses like Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence, and Bradley Cooper, the film’s talent has managed to make headlines over a decade after its premiere, even earning the superlative of “[One] of the Greatest Casts of the 21st Century” from CBR’s Ben Morganti last September.
“In American Hustle, these four stars are all tasked with bringing to life an authentic New Jersey-based crime story from the 1970s, and they do not disappoint,” Morganti wrote of the film, taking care to compliment several of the movie’s supporting cast members including Jeremy Renner, Michael Peña, Robert De Niro, Shea Whigham, Alessandro Nivola and Jack Huston. “It’s rare to get so many big names all in one film and all playing roles so effectively off each other. Before anything else, American Hustle is an ensemble piece where the performances lead the way for the rest of the production. It just also happens to be one of the most distinct modern-day crime films.”
Creating American Hustle Wasn’t All Disco Balls And Tie-Dye
Irving and Sydney con people out of money in American Hustle.Image via Sony Pictures
Despite American Hustle‘s enduring legacy, some of the film’s stars revealed that working on the movie was far from a groovy experience. In 2016, Adams recalled her negative experience working with Russell, revealing that she often found herself crying between takes.
“I was really just devastated on set. I mean, not every day, but most,” Adams told British GQ back in 2016, noting that Lawrence had a different reaction to Russell’s notoriously harsh demeanor. “Jennifer doesn’t take any of it on. She’s Teflon. And I am not Teflon. But I also don’t like to see other people treated badly. It’s not okay with me.”
Earlier this fall, Lawrence also reflected on her time on the movie, confirming Adams’ reports that she largely dismissed Russell’s behaviors. “I really felt like with David that was his way of communicating in a non–bulls*** way. I never felt like he was degrading or yelling at me,” the actress, who was just 23 at the time of filming, shared during an appearance on The Interview podcast from The New York Times. “If he didn’t like something, he was just like: ‘That was terrible. Looked like s***. Do it better.’ And that was a very helpful conversation.”
While helpful for her, Lawrence admitted that Adams’ experience with Russell may have looked different. “Maybe he was harder on her than he was on me,” she added. “I don’t know.”
American Hustle is currently available to stream on Paramount+.
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Release Date
December 3, 2013
Runtime
138 minutes
Director
David O. Russell
