Plot: After the stock market crash of 2008 a group of exotic dancers aims to reclaim their personal and financial independence by using their skills and charms to take as much money from rich men as they possibly can, all before their whole scheme comes crashing down.
Review: Whenever I think of classic crime dramas – wherein a group a people are pulling fast ones on other people and living large with the profits – it usually involves a bunch of men in suits scamming other men in suits. As great as those movies are, HUSTLERS provides the neon-drenched, sultry, compassionate and brazenly hilarious breath of fresh air the crime genre very much needs. Gone are the bland suits, stuffy rooms and the male-heavy ensembles, and in their place is an incredible ensemble of women who prove with infectious charm and alluring confidence that watching Wall Street chumps get scammed out of their money has never looked this good or been as effortlessly entertaining.
Based on the true story as recounted in the article “The Hustlers at Scores” by Jessica Pressler, the story follows a group of exotic dancers who were hit as hard as any average American was after the financial collapse of 2008 – a result of the shady business on Wall Street. Centering on Dorothy/Destiny (Constance Wu) and Ramona Vega (Jennifer Lopez) – who together enlist the help of fellow dancers Annabelle (Lili Reinhart) and Mercedes (Keke Palmer) – these women decide to get into some shady business of their own and begin to use their charms and talents and take rich men for all they had and live it up with the profits.
Writer/director Lorene Scafaria took the wild true story and turned it into a crime-drama-comedy that recalls hallmarks of classic Scorsese films like GOODFELLAS and CASINO – and not only by incorporating in some tracking shots that follow Wu’s character through the nightclub. Jumping back and forth in time as Dorothy recounts the story to a journalist named Elizabeth (Julia Stiles), we get a story with some surprising scope, featuring narrations that explore the characters and gives dimension and insight into a world that has mostly been used for superficial purposes in other movies and shows. Audiences have seen strip clubs on the screen plenty of times, but through Scafaria’s insightful script, there’s a whole new complexity to the world that gets brought to life here, tearing down the sexual barriers and revealing a very authentic environment bursting with personality, depth and, well, sexuality.
Bringing this world to life is the fantastic ensemble, which also includes appearances (though briefer than the cast list on the poster implies) from musicians Cardi B and Lizzo. While HUSTLERS does feature scenes and numbers that will make you see these stars in ways you never have before, the major, more rewarding moments occur backstage. There’s a true support group among them and an infectious rapport that starts early and carries the movie through to the end. Their relationships feel real and lived in, and so much of the movie’s abundant humor comes from pitch-perfect back and forths and one-liners.
But while the movie fleshes out the setting and the roster of characters in ways the article didn’t, and as wonderfully brought to life as these women are, the movie doesn’t always dig as deep into many of them or mines out motivations for the crimes they will eventually commit beyond “We want this money.” When the moment comes where the glamour of the club and endless waterfall of singles fades, there is indeed a sense of reality that kicks in as we see Dorothy start to struggle, with others having to settle for retails jobs. The desire to get back the high life and reclaim financial independence is present on the surface, as is the anger of wanting to get back at the men who f**ked everything up for everyone, but primarily in only Dorothy and Ramona.
Scafaria’s script clearly favors the dynamic and bond of those two over the other characters, which is understandable given their friendship, and how the eventual crumbling of it being what gives the movie another layer of tragedy and humanity. Without the emotional journey they go on it would be hard to justify their actions, which involves drugging rich dudes, raking up their credit cards, and then sending them on their merry way. As fun and righteous it is to watch, they are, in fact, criminals, so those deeper motivations need to be present in order for us to sympathize, and it's just a bit harder to connect with everyone other than Ramona and Dorothy.
Through Ramona there is a commanding anger and need to take as much from these guys as possible, and through Dorothy we see a woman who wants to do the same, but manages to keep her family very much on her mind as Ramona begins to lose sight of her moral compass, dragging them all down in the process. I feel like as shit hit the fan there's more animosity between the two that we didn't get to see, and which would've made for terrific scenes, but the emotional toll that comes with the fallout still feels palpable by the end.
Having the most placed on her soldiers, Wu proves to be an actress of many talents, blending the likable, funny personality she showcased in CRAZY RICH ASIANS with a more subtle, dramatic heft. She pushes herself here and will continue to win over audiences as she proves once again why she needs more leading roles. And as great as Wu and the rest of the cast is, it’s Lopez who will likely change more hearts and minds than anyone in the cast with her mesmerizing, commanding performance as Ramona. Making her debut with a stunning stage number, she exudes a pure, confident cool as she, right after, takes in a smoke on a New York City rooftop, an impressive fur coat draped over her revealing stage outfit. She’s got smarts, passion and takes over every room, delivering what is by far her best performance to date and is deserving of any awards attention that will surely come her way.
On the surface, HUSTLERS comes off as a fun, sexy crime flick with a dope soundtrack that could make for an enjoyable night out at the movies – and that it definitely is. But within the first few minutes, you’ll come to understand there’s so much more this movie has to offer than slick thrills, with Scarfaria bringing to life this crazy, sexy story with compassion for the characters, infectious energy, genuine crime vibes and more than enough laughs. It’s CASINO draped in Gucci and Louis Vuitton, and if you got the money to throw down, you’ll get more than enough bang for your buck.