“Hustlers” is the stripper version of “Goodfellas” or at least, that’s the idea. This 2019 flop isn’t worth your time watching, or my time writing about. But since I tortured myself by sitting through it, the least you can do is read this incredibly abridged review.
The cast is fine. Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez are good enough acting. Both play strippers with an odd ease, though J-Lo is a bit too famous to be as believable. Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Cardi B, and Lizzo are decent. Julia Stiles was also dusted off and plays a journalist. Whatever.
I thought it had an interesting concept at first. We witness a young woman named Dorothy (Wu) struggling with her new career of being a stripper. This was fascinating, and keeping the focus on the character and her growth would have made for an intriguing plot. Instead, Dorothy befriends veteran stripper Ramona (Lopez) and the pair decide to start a criminal empire of drugging high end clients and maxing out their credit cards.
“Doesn’t money make you horny?” Literally J-Lo’s first words spoken to Dorothy. The next scene shows Ramona lounging on a Manhattan roof dressed in fur coat and stripper shoes, or in her case, shoes, and smoking a cigarette. It’s so corny.
While I did like the relationship between the women, by the midway point you’ll be aware that literally every single scene is exactly the same thing. Pretty girls dancing, scummy guys tossing money or “making it rain” as the kids say. And then they decide to be criminals because there are no other options.
The previews made this look like a heist movie. That’s what got me to watch. But the nefarious activities of the women don’t come into play until the third act. Then its handcuffs, jail, and all issues resolved in a supersonic manner. I was highly impressed with the performance of Constance Wu. I hope to watch more of her work.
“Hustlers” is a bad movie. I was hoping for a good female entry into Mob Movie March. Instead I wasted two hours.
“Hustlers” is available on most streaming services.
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