American+Hustle


 * Film Title: ** American Hustle


 * Plot: ** In the film the main character, Irving Rosenfeld, is caught the the FBI for conning helpless and desperate people looking for loans. To avoid going the jail Rosenfeld is offered a deal to help the FBI catch other con artist in return for immunity. The plot of the story is Rosenfeld wants to help the FBI catch three con artist then to be done with it.


 * Theme: ** The first target of the FBI is Mayor Carmine Polito, a man who actually only has good intentions for the country. With the help of Rosenfeld the FBI bribes Polito without him knowing. Throughout the film Rosenfeld grows attached to Polito and realizes how good of a person he is. Rosenfeld ends up telling Polito the truth that they are arresting him for bribery, which ruins the friendship and causes Polito to hate Rosenfeld. The theme of the story is to tell the truth even if it is at your own expense.


 * Tone: **The film is a crime comedy-drama film, throughout the film there is a very serious and tense tone with a comedic undertone.


 * Non-Diegetic Element 1: ** The very first example in the movie of a non-diegetic element is the text at the start of the intro. With the use of these words the producers of the film are able to convey a message to its audience that is not part of the film but essential to the understanding of the film.


 * Non-Diegetic Element 2: **The second example of a non-diegetic element in the film is also text. Although the words "American Hustle" are directly in front of the main characters of the film, they cannot see those worlds because they do not exist in the world they live in.


 * Non-Diegetic Element 3: ** Another example of non-diegesis is when the team of Irving Rosenfeld, Richard DiMaso, and Sydney Prosser meet Mayor Carmine Polito for the first time. In the background a very smooth song is playing to set a the tone because they are trying to make Politio as comfortable as possible so he would accept a bribe. Although the audience can hear the music no one in the actual movie can.


 * Non-Diegetic Element 4: **Music is used quite a bit throughout the film as a non-diegetic element. A second time it is used is when Irving Rosenfeld and Sydney Prosser meet for the first time. A very happy song is played in the background to represent their love at first sight.


 * Non-Diegetic Element 5: ** Narration is also one the parts of the film that has a non-diegetic element. When frustrated Rosenfeld narrates about his tough past. This is a non-diegetic element because when frustrated this narration is not what Rosenfeld was thinking at the time, but rather audio put on top of the clip. In this narration Rosenfeld is speaking directly to the audience to represent how it is non-diegetic


 * Non-Diegetic Element 6: **Similar to the last non-diegetic element, this is also a narration, however from a different character in the film. This narration is in the point of view of Sydney Prosser when she describes how she fell in love with Rosenfeld. Also similar to the previous non-diegetic narration, Prosser is speaking directly to the audience, and the words she is saying does not exist in the world the characters live in.


 * Non-Diegetic Element 7: ** The final non-diegetic element I was able to find in the film was a external clip that is not actually part of the movie. This external clip was played when a narrator is describing the man Carmine Polito. To show this is non-diegetic there is a different border around this clip then to the rest of the film, and this clip does not actually exist within the "movie world."


 * Mise En Scene Example 1: ** The first example of mis en scene that supports the theme is the close up of a check with a desperate man holding it out. This is related to the tone of the film because by taking these checks from desperate men, that is how Rosenfeld began lying in the film and caused him to get caught by the FBI.


 * Mise En Scene Example 2: ** By having a gold plated name on a marble wall with the characters holding up champaign, it shows the success Rosenfeld and Prosser were experiencing by lying and taking money from people. However soon karma will catch up to them and they will be caught by the FBI.


 * Mise En Scene Example 3: ** The third example of mis en scene that relates to the theme of the film is the close up of a suitcase full of money. In the film the suitcase represent Rosenfeld's lies to Polito, and because of the suitcase Rosenfeld feels haunted and forces himself to tell the truth even thought nothing positive can come to himself for doing so.


 * Mise En Scene Example 4: ** The fourth example of mis en scene is when Polito was walking away from Rosenfeld, having Polito in the foreground and Rosenfeld in the background. This is related to the theme because Polito wants nothing to do with what he suspects to be a lie, however Rosenfeld is running after after him to make him accept the lie.


 * Mise En Scene Example 5: ** Another shot in the film that has mis en scene that relates directly to the theme of the film is when Polito has his arm around Rosenfeld and they are both having a good time. By having them as close as possible in the mis en scene it shows how their friendship is building, but in fact being built on a lie later causing Rosenfeld to tell the truth.


 * Mise En Scene Example 6: **The next example of mis en scene that supports the theme of the film is when Polito giving Rosenfeld a microwave as a gift of his friendship. Through the gifting of the microwave the film shows how Polito believes that their friendship is real and he wants to take it to the next level, causing Rosenfeld to also experience the friendship and make him feel bad for lying to him.


 * Mise En Scene Example 7: **Having the sheikh handing a "ceremonial knife" the Polito in a friendly gesture and Polito accepting the knife in a friendly manner in the same mis en scene, it represents more of the lies being fed to Polito that only end up hurting everybody.


 * Mise En Scene Example 8: ** The next example of mis en scene is when Polito throws the "ceremonial knife" on the floor after finding out the truth. By having the knife thrown on the ground in the mis en scene it shows how Polito knows everything is a lie and he isn't going to take it.


 * Mise En Scene Example 9: **By having Polito closing the door with Rosenfeld being on the outside of the door in the mis en scene, it is showing how Polito is closing the door on their friendship. Even though Rosenfeld know telling the truth to Polito would only make Polito hate him, he had to do it anyway, sacrificing his friendship to end the lie.


 * Mise En Scene Example 10: **The final example of mis en scene that relates to the theme of the film is when the FBI agents are being interviewed and DiMaso is in the background with no one giving him any attention. By forcing Rosenfeld to lie, being part of the lie himself, and refusing to stop the lie, DiMaso is kept away from the only thing he ever wanted, fame. This shows how only negative things can come from not telling the truth.