Russell’s Abscam Film Declares Oscar Candidacy

Bradley Cooper in The Silver Linings Playbook

Director David O. Russell’s upcoming film about the Ascam scandal has officially entered the Oscar race. The movie, which reunites the director with his “Silver Linings Playbook” actors Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, will come out this December according to the Hollywood Reporter. 

The untitled film, which also stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and, in a small role, Louis C.K., is in production now and will open Dec. 13 for a limited release.

The Abscam scandal, which took place in the late 1970s, concerned multiple members of Congress soliciting bribes from Arab sheikhs who were in fact undercover FBI operatives. One senator and five House members were convicted of their roles in the scandal, which also introduced the phrase “money talks, bullshit walks” into the lexicon. Eric Warren Singer’s screenplay, in fact, was originally titled “American Bullshit.”