We’re going to stick our necks out and say American Hustle is guaranteed an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. And we’re not sticking it out very far; David O Russell’s stylish thriller/dark comedy completes a trio of ‘comeback’ films, starting with The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook.

American Hustle CastAmy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence are a motley crew in American Hustle

‘Hustle's’ New York Critics Circle award for Best Film saw its odds shorten dramatically for The Oscars – it’s now second favourite only to 12 Years a Slave, which has been considered a frontrunner ever since it was announced. And now that the film’s reviews have been filed, its chances look even better. The critics have waxed lyrical in their respective outlets, culminating in a 95% rating on review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes.

“You feel that one false move from anyone could bring the whole thing crashing down to earth: fortunately, Russell's cast seem to have an innate sense of exactly how far they can push it,” said The Daily Telegraph’s Robbie Collin.

Richard Corliss of TIME Magazine wrote: “Reveling in its '70s milieu and in the eternal abrasion of sexy women and covetous men, American Hustle is an urban eruption of flat-out fun - the sharpest, most exhilarating comedy in years.”

Watch the trailer for American Hustle right here

Drew McWeeny of HitFix was equally impressed, enthusing: “Russell and co-writer Eric Singer have used the general details of the events to whip up a truly hilarious look at a bunch of dreamers and con artists all lying each other into a lather, and it's a raucous entertainment.”

And finally, Alonso Duralde was even moved to compare Hustle to Goodfellas in his review. “Has the kind of throbbing pulse, wicked snap and sheer moviemaking bravado that makes it one of a very few films that can be mentioned in the same breath as Goodfellas.”

With a brilliant set of reviews under its belt, O Russell’s name on everyone’s lips because of last years Silver Linings performance and an early win in New York, American Hustle is shaping up to be a major player as we approach the turn of the year. None of this will hurt the box office, either.

American Hustle posterAmerican Hustle is out on Dec 20 in the U.S - Jan 1 in the U.K