[Movie Review] Hustlers (2019)
Plot Summary: Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.
Director: Lorene Scafaria
Writer: Jessica Pressler (magazine article), Lorene Scafaria (screenplay)
Runtime: 1 hour 50 min
Main Cast:
- Jennifer Lopez as Ramona
- Constance Wu as Destiny
- Julia Stiles as Elizabeth
- Mette Towley as Justice
- Trace Lysette as Tracey
- Marcy Richardson as Star
- Keke Palmer as Mercedes
- Cardi B as Diamond
- Lizzo as Liz
Review by: Heidi
Jennifer Lopez is a stripper. Enough Said. ... Okay okay, to be honest, I really didn't go into this movie with a whole lot of expectation. I am a sucker for JLO movies though (Enough, Maid in Manhatten, The Wedding Planner... just to name a few) so I knew I was going to see it regardless. But for me to see a movie about strippers, I'm sorry I just didn't think really anything, it would just be something to watch. That being said I was pleasantly surprised at what I received.
The movie follows the story of a young Asian American woman named Destiny, played by Constance Wu. It’s her first night working in a new strip club, which doesn’t really go too well. The next night she notices another stripper Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) performs extremely well, and as expected earns the money to show for it. The two become partners in the club, dancing together, sharing profits, and eventually, they become best friends. Time passes, life is good, and then Destiny makes the decision to leave her career to focus on her forthcoming child. Fast forward a few years, Destiny is returning to the strip club for work but what she finds is extremely shocking. In order to make ends meet Destiny becomes a part of Ramona’s hoax which happens to not be the most legal plan.
What I Liked:
The characters, the story, the comedy… yes there was comedy. Maybe thirty minutes into the movie I had to question why it was so goofy, I was thoroughly entertained. I felt as though the characters worked well together. You really connected with them and understood why their decisions made sense to them. It also gave you a lot more insight into a lifestyle that you may never have related to otherwise.
What I Didn’t Like:
There were a few parts that were just extremely corny or awkward. Such as the Cardi B scenes and another special guest that I won’t spoil for you. There were also points in the storyline that seemed a little slow and rushed. However, starting with no expectations it wasn’t bothersome in the moment.
Summary
If you aren’t in a committed relationship with a female or suffer with lust then you should definitely see it. I enjoyed the story and there were really strong acting moments. Nonetheless it’s about stripper so there’s a lot of bare bottoms and chests, it’s a sexy movie. But like I said in the beginning it’s hard to deny yourself a JLO movie.
Images Courtesy of IMDB
