Step into the world of glamour, lies, and deception in American Hustle (2013), the stylish crime drama directed by David O. Russell. Inspired by true events, this award-winning film follows con artists, FBI agents, and politicians caught in a complex web of ambition, manipulation, and betrayal.
Think you can unravel every twist and remember every scandalous detail? Test yourself with this 10-question trivia challenge! Only true film buffs and lovers of slick crime dramas will ace this quiz.
Here are the correct answers and detailed explanations for each question from our American Hustle (2013) trivia challenge. This stylish crime drama blends deception, humor, and complex relationships into one unforgettable story:
1. Who plays the role of con man Irving Rosenfeld in American Hustle?
✅ Correct Answer: Christian Bale
Christian Bale transformed himself physically to play Irving Rosenfeld, gaining weight and adopting a comb-over to embody the shrewd but oddly endearing con artist. His performance anchors the film’s emotional and moral ambiguity.
2. What is the name of Irving’s partner and lover in the con scheme?
✅ Correct Answer: Sydney Prosser
Amy Adams plays Sydney Prosser, a clever and seductive grifter who uses the persona “Lady Edith Greensly” to pose as a wealthy British investor. Her relationship with Irving adds tension to both their criminal partnership and personal lives.
3. Which actress plays Rosalyn Rosenfeld, Irving’s unpredictable wife?
✅ Correct Answer: Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence delivers a fiery performance as Rosalyn, Irving’s eccentric wife. Though not involved in the con itself, her impulsiveness threatens to unravel the entire operation. Lawrence earned an Academy Award nomination for her role.
4. What major FBI operation is the plot of American Hustle loosely based on?
✅ Correct Answer: Abscam
The film is a fictionalized retelling of the FBI’s Abscam sting operation from the 1970s–1980s, in which the bureau used con artists and fake Arab investors to expose political corruption at various government levels.
5. What is Richie DiMaso’s profession in the film?
✅ Correct Answer: FBI agent
Richie DiMaso, portrayed by Bradley Cooper, is an ambitious FBI agent who enlists Irving and Sydney to help entrap corrupt politicians. His unorthodox methods often blur the line between law enforcement and manipulation.
6. Who plays the role of Richie DiMaso?
✅ Correct Answer: Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper’s portrayal of DiMaso captures the agent’s driven, reckless nature. He becomes increasingly obsessed with the operation and Sydney, complicating both the case and his personal motivations.
7. Which American politician is targeted in the sting operation?
✅ Correct Answer: Mayor Carmine Polito
Jeremy Renner plays Carmine Polito, the popular mayor of Camden, New Jersey, who becomes the primary political target. Though corrupt, he’s portrayed with sympathy, raising ethical questions about the operation’s legitimacy.
8. What city is primarily featured in American Hustle?
✅ Correct Answer: Camden, New Jersey
The story unfolds primarily in Camden, offering a gritty backdrop for the intersecting worlds of politics, crime, and federal law enforcement in the late ’70s.
9. What is Sydney’s fake identity when she poses as a British aristocrat?
✅ Correct Answer: Lady Edith Greensly
Sydney poses as “Lady Edith Greensly,” a fake British socialite with banking connections. Her assumed identity adds credibility to the con and seduces both the mark and, arguably, the FBI agent overseeing the operation.
10. Who makes a surprise cameo appearance as a mafia boss in the film?
✅ Correct Answer: Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro appears as Victor Tellegio, a mob boss who raises the stakes when the con brushes against organized crime. His intense, uncredited cameo injects real danger into the con and tests Irving’s ability to think on his feet.
