Next up in our run of American Hustle interviews is the Mayor of Camden, Carmine Polito, played by Jeremy Renner. The character is in fact based on real life New Jersey Mayor, Angelo Errichetti who found himself caught slap bang in the crossfire between con-artists and the FBI in what became know as the Abscam case.
A striking fact about the film is that rather than opting for a direct reenactment of the late ’70s caper, director David O. Russell felt it essential to highlight the sheer irony involved in the FBI staging their own hustle to catch a hustler. With Polito treading precariously between both sides of the Law expect Renner to do some morally flawed deeds. But, if we zoom out for the bigger picture, he is indeed one of the few in the film not looking out just for their own ulterior motives. But let’s leave you with him to tell you all about that, shall we?
