Kevin Spacey has a field day as real-life Washington superlobbyist Jack Abramoff in George Hickenlooper’s frequently hilarious “Casino Jack.” This fast-moving, fact-based film details how Abramoff, an Orthodox Jew, funnelled donations to conservative congressmen (including the santimonious Majority Leader Tom DeLay) to advance his clients’ interests and conned Native American tribes out of tens of millions of dollars before his arrest.

Already the subject of an Alex Gibney documentary released earlier this year, the fast-talking super-rationalizing Abramoff (who funnelled some of his money into a Hebrew school) may be the juiciest role (with awards potential) that Spacey has had since he won the Oscar for “American Beauty.” There are vivid supporting turns by Barry Pepper as Abramoff’s risk-taking partner and Jon Lovitz a mob-connected millionaire who fronts Abramoff’s bid to take over a chain of gambling ships.

The highly entertaining “Casino Jack” is set to be released in December through IDP after a previous distribution deal fell through.