>Saw this tonight. Test screening, not finalized, but it
>seemed like the only changes were going to be to
>sound/color.
>
>This is a big ol' Scorsese knockoff. Goodfellas Jr. with con
>men. This isn't a bad thing, but the whole time, from the
>music choices to the dueling narrations to the quick stylish
>zooms to the camera dollying down hallways through open doors
>to the character's Italian accents, it just reeks of
>Russell-doing-Scorsese.
>
>That having been said, a lot of it is entertaining and quite
>funny. Cooper has never been better, including his work last
>year. He no longer feels like a comic actor trying to hang
>with the big boys. Bale does Bale, and he has plenty of good
>moments, but his role turns out to be less flashy than you'd
>think when it starts. Amy Adams is a Best Actress nomination--
>lock it in. And J-Law has a very real shot at a Supporting Nom
>herself. She's no goddamn joke. Renner does fine work here,
>but I was most surprised of all at Louis C.K. doing some very
>fine comedic work here. There's another cameo by a famous
>actor, and I'm not sure if it's been revealed, but it's some
>of that actor's best work in years as well.
>
>There are problems. I don't love all the narration--
>especially in the first 30 minutes, it's basically non-stop.
>The movie doesn't really move until Renner comes into the
>picture, although Cooper has some nice moments early. It does
>that David O. Russell sprawling thing, which works to its
>benefit at times, but also hurts the pacing at times.
>
>I liked it more than The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook.
>I thought neither of those should've been Best Pic noms, to be
>fair... and while I don't think this should get a Best Pic nom
>either (ESPECIALLY if the Scorsese film is released this year,
>cuz good lord), it's Russell's best since Huckabees. I'm still
>hoping he'll get good and weird again one day soon, but for
>now, with this super-mainstream Oscar-chasing Russell, I'll
>take it.

My movies: http://russellhainline.com
My movie reviews: https://letterboxd.com/RussellHFilm/
My beer TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebeertravelguide