The con is on when scam artists and lovers Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) are entrapped by ambitious FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) and coerced into participating in a major sting operation which hinges on snaring politician Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) and his associates. Complicating matters is Irving’s wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), who could bring the whole operation crashing down around them all. From the director of Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter, AMERICAN HUSTLE is outrageously entertaining and one of the most acclaimed films of 2013.

For thoughts on American Hustle, please check out my colleague Ricky Valero’s previous article here.

Video Quality

The new 4K UHD Blu-Ray of American Hustle offers a worthwhile uptick in quality over the accompanying Blu-Ray that was very pleasing when it was first released in 2014. The film arrives with a 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR master approved by director David O. Russell. The new 4K UHD handily allows the film to look the best it ever has on home entertainment. This new release preserves the filmic origins of the feature that unveils a world of pleasing texture and detail. You can easily distinguish specific details within the makeup, costumes, and production design that were not as defined previously. The various interiors are also given more depth which is a treat to explore. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity are among the highlights of the disc, especially when wading through dark clubs that have previously swallowed up detail.

O. Russell employs a natural, soft aesthetic which this disc recreates with unbelievable accuracy, holding true to the ‘70s influence on the film. The UHD revels in numerous splashes of bold colors in the clothing and lighting, especially. The Dolby Vision presentation brings more nuance to the film than ever thanks to formidable saturation. Highlights offer more impressive stability without veering into blooming. Black levels are deeper which allows this transfer to provide a grander level of fine detail in darker environments. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a tremendous amount of facial detail. The improvement is not exactly night and day like some vital 4K restorations, but this latest release allows the film to look its best.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray gets an audio upgrade in the form of an incredible Dolby Atmos track that gives the film an immersive soundscape that transports you to this period. For purists, the new disc also offers up the original soundtrack in lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio. Both of these tracks are first-rate in their own ways, but we are glad Sony is continuing the trend of giving fans a choice. Those who choose to embark with the original track may not get the latest in audio technology but you do get a perfectly realized track without any age-related flaws.

With the Atmos track, you are gifted a natural emphasis on the front channels for dialogue and other discrete sounds, but activity extends to the surrounds, rears, and overhead speakers to make the world feel more three-dimensional and all-encompassing. The sounds up above are not splashy, but they make you feel less of a distance from the narrative. The low end effects from the subwoofer give the appropriate moments extra power to enhance the experience. Atmospheric sound effects are precisely rendered within the mix so that the directionality is never an issue. The film uses its soundtrack and score perfectly to establish the vibe of the journey. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting overshadowed by the music or sound effects. The original DTS-HD 5.1 track is not quite as undeniable as the Atmos track, but it handles the storyline capably. Sony has shown up for this one. There are English, English SDH, and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Sony has provided American Hustle with a sleek new SteelBook featuring artwork that is striking in person. The front artwork is the theatrical poster with the five main characters, and the rear features Sydney and Richie in fancy clothing. The interior sports a still photo of the five leads in a state of revelry. Photos of the SteelBook can be found at the bottom of this review.

4K UHD Blu-Ray

Anniversary Deleted and Extended Scenes: A nearly 15-minute collection of never-before-seen unused material is provided here with updated editing and within the context of the film.

Blu-Ray

The Making of American Hustle: A 17-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the development and themes of the narrative, the collaboration between the creative team and the performers, the costumes and production design, and more. There is a lot of good behind-the-scenes footage.

Deleted and Extended Scenes: There are 11 unused scenes totaling nearly 23 minutes of material provided that are different from the new ones provided on the 4K UHD disc.

Previews

Final Thoughts

American Hustle is a very good movie in many regards, but it does suffer from feeling slightly derivative of certain Martin Scorsese pictures. Director David O. Russell is not quite as nimble at balancing different tones, but his script with Eric Warren Singer has many standout moments and some thematically rich undercurrents. The main reason the film works so well is the stellar cast, especially the strong work from Amy Adams and Christian Bale. Some of the people involved in this production give us major pause, but as a film, it works well. Sony Pictures has released a lovely new Limited Edition 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook featuring an excellent A/V presentation and an assortment of new and archival special features. If you only own this one on Blu-Ray or not at all, this package is a no-brainer for anyone looking to add the best version to their collection. Recommended

American Hustle is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.