Movie Review: ‘Hustlers’

Review by Monique Thompson

STARRING: Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Lili Reinhart, KeKe Palmer, Julia Stiles, Lizzo, Cardi B

Working as a stripper to make ends meet, Destiny’s life changes forever when she becomes friends with Ramona — the club’s top money earner. Ramona soon shows Destiny how to finagle her way around the wealthy Wall street clientele who frequent the club. But when the 2008 economic collapse cuts into their profits, the gals and two other dancers devise a daring scheme to take their lives back.

Who would have thought a news article from 2015 would turn into a big office comedy-drama film with big names such as Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu playing the lead roles. Obviously the fact that the article is about a real-life money scheme masterminded by a few New York strippers would peak the interest of many so why not. In Hustlers, released by STXFilms, a group of former strippers take “making it rain ones” to an entirely new level.

Ramona (Lopez) is a sexy, confident, savvy stripper who has mastered “using what you have to get what you want”. When she takes fellow stripper Destiny (Wu) under her wings, the two quickly become inseparable. Destiny takes the advise from Ramona and realizes what it takes to get the big bank from the club’s wealthy and vulnerable regulars. When the economy begins to slow down, the strippers start to feel the effects and realize they must do something to continue bringing in the big bank required to support their lavished lifestyles they’ve become accustomed to. Ramona, Destiny, and two other strippers, Mercedes (Palmer) and Annabelle (Reinhart), devise a plan to drug their clients so they can “unknowingly” spend thousands of dollars on the women. Their scheme becomes as easy as luring a kid to a candy store. But as we know, every good thing must come to an end at some point.

Enough of the plot and now let’s get to the good stuff. HOW IS JENNIFER LOPEZ 50 AND LOOKS THIS GOOD?!? Jenny From The Block still has it and is simply drop dead gorgeous as Ramona. Her character demands authority and respect, and she’s the perfect candidate to do just that. The chemistry between Lopez’s and Wu’s characters remind me of a Thelma & Louise friendship. They will ride for each other no matter what, or so we thought (won’t spoil things too much). Palmer’s character, Mercedes, is your typical stripper that’s dating a no-good-man but can’t seem to let him go. She’s humorous and just gives it to you straight. Reinhart is definitely another standout. This foursome is a great match and even being dubbed by GQ Magazine as the Best Movie Cast of The Year.

Now if you want to see Hustlers mainly for Cardi B and Lizzo, you’re going to be disappointed. Cardi & Lizzo’s characters have nothing to do with the real-life story so it makes sense that they aren’t in the film much. They both are in the film to simply be themselves for the few moments they are given.

Hustlers is bold and funny and all around a pretty decent film.