What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedAmerican Hustle
David O. Russell · Film · 2013
If you loved American Hustle, start with The Americans (Joe Weisberg, 2013) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to American Hustle across media.
If you loved American Hustle, you were likely drawn to the blurring lines between law enforcement and the criminal underworld.
Books on the same thread
Crook Manifesto
Colson Whitehead · Book
Explores: systemic corruption, 1970s urban decay, criminal underworld.
Like the atmosphere of American Hustle, this story captures the grit of the 1970s while navigating the complex, shady power dynamics inherent in the criminal underworld.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
David Grann · Book · 2018
Shares 2 threads with American Hustle: Corruption, Greed.
This investigation into systemic corruption mirrors the tension found in American Hustle, showcasing how deep-seated greed forces characters to confront difficult moral choices within the FBI.
American Prometheus
Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin · Book
Shares a thread with American Hustle: Moral ambiguity.
You will recognize the profound moral ambiguity present in American Hustle as you explore the internal conflicts and immense personal stakes defining the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer.
American Pastoral
Philip Roth · Book · 1998
Explores: The American Dream, Generational conflict, Loss of innocence.
Much like the characters in American Hustle, these figures wrestle with the fragile nature of the American Dream and the inevitable decay that follows their pursuit of prosperity.
Series on the same thread
The Americans
Joe Weisberg · Series · 2013
Shares a thread with American Hustle: Moral Ambiguity.
The central theme of deceptive identities in American Hustle is echoed here, as you follow agents and targets whose lives are built on layers of performance and manipulation.
American Crime Story
Scott Alexander · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with American Hustle: Moral Ambiguity.
This anthology captures the same fascination with high-stakes investigations and systemic corruption that anchored the plot of American Hustle, focusing on the dark underbelly of historical criminal cases.
White Collar
Jeff Eastin · Series · 2009
Shares a thread with American Hustle: Moral Ambiguity.
The partnership between a criminal and an FBI agent in this series perfectly mirrors the cat-and-mouse dynamic that defines the core relationship in American Hustle.
MINDHUNTER
Joe Penhall · Series · 2017
Shares a thread with American Hustle: Moral Ambiguity.
If the FBI procedural elements of American Hustle intrigued you, this series offers a deeper, darker look at the development of criminal profiling and the toll of investigation.
Podcasts on the same thread
Scam Junkie
Podcast
Shares a thread with American Hustle: con artists.
Get an insider perspective on the craft of the con artist, a subject that remains the central, seductive hook for any fan of the storytelling in American Hustle.
Swindled
Podcast
Shares 2 threads with American Hustle: Corruption, Greed.
This podcast digs into the white-collar fraud and corporate corruption that fueled the schemes seen in American Hustle, providing a chilling look at the reality of these crimes.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is American Hustle based on a true story?
American Hustle is a 2013 film directed by David O. Russell. The plot centers on a conman and his partner who are forced to work for an FBI agent, pushing them into a world of Jersey power-brokers and the Mafia. It is a fictionalized cinematic narrative.
What is the premise of American Hustle?
American Hustle follows a conman and his seductive partner who are coerced into working for a wild FBI agent. This collaboration forces them to navigate the dangerous and complex world of Jersey power-brokers and the Mafia as part of an elaborate sting operation.
Who directed American Hustle?
American Hustle was directed by David O. Russell. Released in 2013, the film depicts a conman and his partner working alongside an FBI agent to infiltrate the Mafia and various Jersey power-brokers. The story focuses on the high-stakes interactions between these specific groups.
Does American Hustle involve the Mafia?
Yes, American Hustle features the Mafia as a central element of its plot. The story involves a conman and his partner being forced by a wild FBI agent to navigate the criminal underworld, specifically interacting with Jersey power-brokers and the Mafia during their complex assignment.