David Russell

The Profile

David O. Russell is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer known for character-driven dramedies and ensemble casts. His films include Three Kings, The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook, and American Hustle.

Directed The Fighter (2010), Three Kings (1999), Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013), I Heart Huckabees (2004), and Joy (2015). Multiple Academy Award nominations. American, active since the early 1990s.

The review sees The Fighter as a family drama first, sports film second. It praises the performances—especially Christian Bale—while criticizing the handheld camerawork. The plot is called predictable and Oscar-aimed, yet the film is deemed solid, not exceptional.