The producers of "American Hustle" are being sued for $1 million by a science journalist who says he was slandered by the film and suffered a damaged reputation, ABC News reported on Monday.
The movie is based on a real FBI sting set up to catch corrupt politicians, but the journalist caught ire with a scene involving actors and co-stars Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence.
Lawrence puts an aluminum item in the microwave over, which explodes when she turns the appliance on. She then laments the purchase to Bale, who plays her on-screen husband.
"You know, I read that it takes all the nutrition out of our food," she says, handing her husband a publication. "I read it in an article, look, by Paul Brodeur."
But Brodeur is saying the scene harmed his reputation as a science journalist.
Now he's suing Columbia Pictures and the picture's other associated production companies, stating that the scene tied his name to a statement that isn't supported by science.
The potential dangers of microwaves has been the topic of Brodeur's writing in the past, but he claims in the lawsuit that he has never "declared in any way that a microwave oven 'takes all of the nutrition out of food.'" On the contrary, court documents say he's publically said the opposite.
With his lawsuit, Brodeur also wants his name taken off of any later copies of American Hustle, Entertainment reported. He believes the film has caused him to suffer ridicule and contempt, and injured his reputation as a knowledgeable scientific writer.
"It will probably be pretty tricky for him to prove that this line of dialogue in a movie -- which amounts to a very short scene -- has, in fact, been damaging to his reputation as a science writer," Austin Siegemund-Broka, a staff reporter for The Hollywood Reporter, said.
