Film Review: 'Hustlers' Is Flashy But Empty Stripper Crime Caper

Submitted by JonHC on September 14, 2019 - 11:49am

CHICAGO – This striper crime caper is flashy, buffed to a high gloss, and more entertaining and watchable than it has any right to be. But it’s never quite as smart, or layered as it seems to think it is. Constance Wu from “Crazy Rich Asians” stars as the proverbial stripper with a heart of gold, Destiny.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

She’s just doing it to help take care of her grandma but finds that working the poll alone won’t pay the bills. At the New York Club modeled after the manhattan nightspot Scores, queen bee Jennifer Lopez takes her under her wing to show her the moves. This film is a sisterhood tale wrapped up in larceny and dollar bills. Lopez gets a meaty role tailor-made to her like a sequined bodysuit. It starts with Lopez showing Wu how to get into the VIP champagne room and milk the marks for all their worth. When the financial crisis happens, the regular strip club business dries up so the girls have to improvise. Lopez comes up with a can’t miss premise. They’ll hook the wall street types on their own, slip em some drugs, and then max out their credit cards at the club.

Lopez plays Romona like the godfather of a criminal enterprise. She’s equal parts ruthless, and positively benevolent to those who she takes a liking too. The film bends over backward, tying itself into knots to make the girls themselves, and Lopez in particular into someone worth rooting for as they go on lavish spending sprees with stolen loot. Lopez spreads so much wealth around to her girls and their families and their kids, the only surprise is that her character isn’t literally named “Angel.”

“Hustlers” opens everywhere on September 13th. Featuring Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Lizzo, Cardi B, Julia Styles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Wai Ching Ho, and Mercedes Ruehl. Screenplay by Lorene Scafaria. Directed by Lorene Scafaria. Rated “R”