American Hustle is based on an elaborate sting operation from the late 1970s and early 1980s. To try to describe how it all works within a two-minute trailer, the studio could have confused or alienated its audience. Instead, it focused on the glitz and glamour of the story: beautiful actors wearing beautiful clothes, staring at beautiful (fake) art and having a blast. Slowly, though, the teaser for David O. Russell’s latest concoction moved from slick and scheming to vicious and violent. Or, as the Led Zeppelin song that pulsates above the intoxicating clips, the good times and bad times that arose from this complex con job.
The trailer reiterates enough about the characters and the themes of the story without needing to rely on extensive clips. The early dialogue about whether or not something fake can become truth plays into the con artist characters the film focuses on, while some of the more sensual and brutal moments from the montage hint at both the allure and the danger associated with the criminal activity. It’s a fresh, exciting look at a great film, bolstered by terrific looks at the strong performances of a vibrant ensemble cast. It made Hustle look like a film not to be missed, and so far, its box office run suggests the sleek ads worked.