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American Hustle

American Hustle

Everyone hustles to survive.

2013138 minRMidcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Director
David O. Russell
Starring
Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner

A conman and his seductive partner are forced to work for a wild FBI agent, who pushes them into a world of Jersey power-brokers and the Mafia.

Where to watch

Where can I watch American Hustle?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists American Hustle to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about American Hustle?

American Hustle earns 11 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Award-winning performances.

Show 3 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is American Hustle worth watching?

American Hustle's Midcredits score is the 87th percentile of all films, from 974K ratings across 6 sources. 76% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

87th percentile

Better received than 87% of films

89th percentile among Crime87th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)84th
Approval (how many liked it)86th

72 /100

84th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Crime83rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 90 · Audience 70

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

76% liked it

86th percentile of all films

86th percentile among Crime87th percentile among 2010s
76% rated it 7–1024% rated it 1–6

Critics 92% · Audience 74%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 22 wins / 73 noms overall

  • WonGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  • WonGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical

99th percentile

973K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 3% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$40M
Opening weekend$740K
Domestic gross$150M
Worldwide gross$251M

Returned 6.3× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is driven by flamboyant performances and stylish period trappings, but opinions diverge on whether the narrative coherence and depth match the surface dazzle.

Fans praised

  • Superb ensemble acting with transformative performances
  • Sharp, witty dialogue and engaging character dynamics
  • Stylish 1970s period detail and energetic direction

Detractors panned

  • Muddled, overlong plot with sluggish pacing
  • Unsympathetic characters and lack of emotional engagement
  • Style over substance, derivative of Scorsese classics

What stands out

ActingDivisive88

Transformative, electrifying ensemble work

AtmosphereDivisive80

Immersive 1970s world-building and tone

DialogueDivisive78

Witty, improvisational, but sometimes overbearing

Cinematography75

Period-perfect visual style, some note amateurish handheld

CharactersDivisive70

Vivid but often unsympathetic, some find them shallow

Plot and storyDivisive48

Convoluted, meandering, with predictable twists

OriginalityDivisive45

Derivative of Scorsese and con-man tropes

PacingDivisive42

Slow first half, uneven momentum

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 20 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 14 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is American Hustle like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
TenseAbsurdThrilling
Heaviest: middle
Satirical humor
Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material at a knowing distance, treating the schemes and relationships with a satirical and wry eye, while still allowing moments of genuine emotion.
The rideThe con escalates through the middle portion, with mounting pressure from the FBI, Mafia, and personal entanglements creating a tense, absurd, and thrilling ride.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional linear timeline, following Irving's involvement in the con and the subsequent FBI operation from start to finish.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a sense of enjoyment from the performances and twisty plot, but also a lingering hint of melancholy for the collateral damage.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% (this title) · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

11% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story follows a con man and his partner who are forced by the FBI to run a sting operation, leading to a complex web of deception and increasingly chaotic schemes.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsCorruption · 3% of filmsSurvival
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a web of lies and con artistry, where characters manipulate each other and navigate a corrupt world of power and crime.
StanceThe film questions the line between conning and survival, examining how deception and corruption permeate personal and political life without fully condemning or celebrating it.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernJazzSupportive music · hybrid · Danny Elfman
SettingLate 1970s New York and New Jersey, amid con games, FBI offices, and political backrooms
MusicThe score blends period-appropriate disco and orchestral elements that underscore the film's energetic yet cynical vibe.

Content guide

Is American Hustle okay for kids?

R

American Hustle is rated R: “Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (44/100), sexual content at moderate (54/100), language at severe (89/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (60/100) and frightening material at mild (32/100). Overall it is heavier than 50% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 26 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany6
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland15A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanG
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium12
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • GreeceΚ-15
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia16+
  • SK12
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland14
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 70% of all filmsHeavier than 50% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 23%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 62%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 89%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 16%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does American Hustle have?

MovieCove's classifier found 2 depicted content warnings in American Hustle: Gun violence (moderate), Kidnapping or confinement (mild). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateGun violence
MildKidnapping or confinement

Cast and crew

Who is in American Hustle?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; 10 award-winning performances in the cast.

Christian Bale
as Irving Rosenfeld
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bradley Cooper
as Richie DiMaso
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Amy Adams
as Sydney Prosser
Globe win: Golden Globe — Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or MusicalTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jeremy Renner
as Mayor Carmine Polito
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Jennifer Lawrence
as Rosalyn Rosenfeld
Globe win: Golden Globe — Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Louis C.K.
as Stoddard Thorsen
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Jack Huston
as Pete Musane
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Michael Peña
as Paco Hernandez
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Shea Whigham
as Carl Elway
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Alessandro Nivola
as Anthony Amado
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Crew

More like this

What are movies like American Hustle?

Movies like American Hustle include The Hoax (2006), RocknRolla (2008) and Elvis & Nixon (2016). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set in the 1970s, and most are satires.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its character type: partners in crime. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with American Hustle?

774 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: police officer. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.