'American Hustle' Makes a Showing With Critics Circle The late-arriving "American Hustle," which reunites David O. Russell with much of his casts from "The Fighter" and "Silver Linings Playbook," was the surprise winner with the New York Film Critics Circle, which announced its year-end picks on Tuesday. The film, set loosely around the 1970s Abscam scandal, took best feature, best screenplay (for Mr. Russell and Eric Singer) and best supporting actress, for Jennifer Lawrence. It is among the final entries in the very tight Oscar race this season and beat out expected competitors like "12 Years a Slave," "Nebraska" and "Inside Llewyn Davis." "12 Years a Slave," considered an awards front-runner, did earn a prize for its direction, by Steve McQueen. Otherwise the critics group - made up of more than three dozen critics around town - spread its love, honoring Jared Leto as best supporting actor for his transgender AIDS patient in "Dallas Buyers Club"; Robert Redford, as best actor for his largely silent man adrift at sea in "All Is Lost"; and Cate Blanchett, as best actress for her Madoff-like society maven on the decline in "Blue Jasmine." "Inside Llewyn Davis" picked up an award for its cinematography, by Bruno Delbonnel (a snub to the cutting-edge look of "Gravity," by Emmanuel Lubezki), and "Fruitvale Station" was named best first film, making it a good couple of days for the director, Ryan Coogler, also a Gotham award winner. Sarah Polley's "Stories We Tell," about her own family, was chosen best documentary, and "Blue Is the Warmest Color," best foreign film. Though the critics circle has in recent years regularly dovetailed with the Oscar picks, it also has nothing to do with Academy members. But the sweep for "American Hustle" may place it higher on voters" screener pile.