10s Movie Review - Hustlers

Director: Lorene Scafaria
Genre: Crime
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Lili reinhart, Cardi B, Lizzo, Keke Palmer
Description: Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, we follow a crew of former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 7: A MOVIE WITH PINK POSTER ART

Review: “Hustlers” takes its story from the New York Magazine article “The Hustlers at Scores” by the now well-known journalist Jessica Pressler in Hollywood. Her work seems almost to have been written with the intention of turning I into a film. Her investigation into a group of strippers who stole from the rich but did give the loot to the poor is no exception. These strippers are not inferior to many other women in film who stand up for themselves. “Hustlers” therefore fits well into the current ‘women don’t need men’ trend that dominates Hollywood.  
In the years leading up to the 2008 economic crisis, strip club veteran Ramon teaches newcomer Destiny the tricks, dances and arts of the trade. Soon, in the golden days of strip clubs, the duo grows into a money machine and plucks the wealthy stock trader bare. However, with the onset of the Wall Street crisis, unlimited money is soon over. Strip clubs are a luxury, and are emptying out. To maintain sales, the clubs are hire cheaper immigrant girls and a lap dance turns into a three hundred dollar blow job. When Destiny has a child, she gets out of the business and loses sight of Ramona.
When Ramona and Destiny meet again, several years later and somewhat penniless, the story finds its deserved place. The strippers decide to take back what the Wall Street thieves tole from them and everyone else. They put together a team, with the help of a little narcotics, use the art of seduction and rob several Wal Street yuppies. One thousand dollars in one night is not unique.
The women in the film are supposed to be examples of modern feminists, who know that they should not focus on women as a gender but on themselves as women. But somehow it doesn’t fully translate well. Because these women use their bodies and sexuality to hustle the men.
Jennifer Lopez plays Ramona, who in her entrance scene throws her virtually naked, fifty-year-old body into the fray and around a pole in a way that would discourage many twenty-year-olds. Her role has nothing to do with acting, it’s a performance. She is perfect for a role like this. And Lopez does a good job. And that’s a lot coming from me, because I don’t really like her as an actress.
“Hustlers” should and could have been a real power movie, but gets a but bogged down in predictable motives.

Rating: 3/ 5