Hustlers - Review

Release Date:  September 13, 2019​​​​​​​​​

Hustling for Oscars?

Movies adapted from source material or ones based on true stories are no stranger to Hollywood. Some of the most classic films are apart of at least one of these categories. What might be surprising to learn is that many of them started as articles; Hustlers shares this connection as it was first a story in New York magazine. The confession of strippers drugging and robbing men was too interesting to leave alone. The challenge of adapting this tale for the big screen comes down to making it relatable. Hustlers is able to find a human story about friendship but loses the lead more than once. 

From the very beginning, I could tell that the focus would be the relationship between Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez. The idea to stylize their first encounter with a trope used for romantic comedies was really fun. It speaks to the overuse of slow-motion but also highlights the emphasis on their connection throughout the entire runtime. If nothing else, Hustlers attempts to hammer home the idea of family, friends, and how to stick together. Those moments of connection are when then the film is at its best.

It's for that reason I prefer the first half to the second because there is more discovery going on in the story at that point. Having all of these characters meet and get to know each other, allows the audience to sympathize to their situation. With the backdrop being a fancy strip club with a dot matrix display for the main stage, there is a flair just not present later on. The obvious standout is Jennifer Lopez as she delivers a great performance that ties the whole movie together. It's not Oscar-worthy like some are saying, but it is the highlight of the cast.

The director, Lorene Scafaria, made some strong choices, some of which worked well and others outstayed their welcome. For instance, the idea of using piano music when depicting emotions in key scenes ended up clashing with other scenes that flanked it later on in the film. The decision to structure the plot around an interview in the same vein as I, Tonya was interesting, but wasn't necessary until the end of the movie. The overabundance of slo-mo shots of the cast making entrances got repetitive, and the little audio trick at the end lost meaning when it was reversed seconds after use. With more practice, I suspect that Scafaria will be a more seasoned filmmaker and that this was a really good start.

The final thing I can say about Hustlers is that the characters are a little ironic. Constance Wu has a line of dialogue that states, "I don't want to make it seem like all strippers are thieves. I don't want to add to that stigma." This was hilarious, not only because the story being told is about strippers committing crimes but that Cardi B has a cameo. She infamously was a stripper before she was a popular performer and actually drugged and stole from men herself. The film tries really hard to put these character's actions into context, but never succeeds in making you feel bad for how they ended up.

6/10
A little small in scope and way less crazy than you think it is