About the film (courtesy of STX Films):
Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. The film was inspired by the article published by New York Magazine entitled “The Hustlers at Scores” written by Jessica Pressler.
There’s been a lot of buzz about the new movie, Hustlers and how it’s supposed to knock your socks off. The story itself is derived from an article published in a New York Magazine, and from not that long ago. Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu put their best foot (legs, backsides and more) forward to audiences something to hook onto. Using a roster of talented actors, catchy tunes and an intoxicating story, the hope is that more money will be generated off stage than on as this drama dances its way into theaters.
Some buzz that had come out of a few of the circles that had seen Hustlers was that Jennifer Lopez deserves an Oscar for her outstanding performance. Color me intrigued! Expectations had risen considerably upon hearing/reading this news ahead of my press screening. Now that everything is said and done, I can unequivocally say that do not see her performance in the same rose-colored glasses that some of my peers apparently do. Her performance as Ramona, one of the film’s leads, is good but it isn’t great. I enjoy what she brings to the table, especially the dedication to her role. Countless hours must have been spent to make her appear as a natural in this type of role. That said, I didn’t exit the theater thinking, “wow, J-Lo should absolutely receive some consideration as the year’s best female lead or supporting actor.”
I would argue that Constance Wu’s performance was superior to that of her highly publicized co-star. It truly takes a village. And with names like Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Cardi B, Lizzo and Julia Stiles sharing the spotlight, there is no doubt that Hustlers will resonate well with female viewers. That is one of the areas that a film such as this excels, female empowerment. Regardless of what their professions are, this gives a sobering reminder that gender equality still has a ways to go. This group of women just found a way to make it work out in their favor.
From a style and sound perspective, Hustlers receives high marks in its visualization, execution and audio tracks. A decent portion of this movie feels as though you’re in a party environment. Even with the “fun parts”, there’s also a lot of drama that is dealt with throughout much of the latter portion. Director Lorene Scafaria keeps thinks on track, while not totally selling out the story inspired by Jessica Pressler’s magazine article. Glitz and glamour gives way to glum and gloomy.
Hustlers feels slightly long but does just enough to keep your interest for the most part. It feels similar to that of The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) and The Big Short (2015) in how it puts an entertaining spin on financial struggles. I suppose this style serves as a successful form of therapy. As far as new movies go, this could definitely be a fun night out and is worth checking out. Just know that it is not without flaws. You can see it in theaters now.
