Jennifer Lopez does not disappoint in Hustlers
“Does the money make you horny?”; A line that sums up Hustlers and is also one of the many juicy one-liners it delivers.
Lorene Scafaria’s gritty adaptation of the 2005 New York article ‘The Hustlers at Score’ by Jessica Pressler brings something slick, flashy and some much needed female empowerment to the big screen.
In a modern day Robin Hood story, Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) and Destiny (Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians) join forces, first as dancers and then as business partners, as they navigate the men on Wall Street through sex, drugs and alcohol. Joined by Annabelle (Lili Reinhart, Riverdale) and Mercedes (Keke Palmer, Scream Queens) the girls form a strong bond as they work out a cunning plan for hustling money after falling victim to the Wall Street crash.
With the camera constantly on the move, giving it an unsettling feel, Scafaria captures the women’s thirst and desperation for survival perfectly. The film’s star-studded line up only adds to this with cameo’s from Lizzo and Cardi B, who’s very open about her past as a stripper. Watching the unlikely group of girls interact with each other only emphasises their close bond.
Jennifer Lopez’s performance is outstanding and her best to date. Ramona is a far cry from her usual charming roles as the lead heroine in a rom-com but still manages to captivate the audience. Constance Wu’s character takes a while to warm up to. Played by Constance, Destiny is very timid at first but comes into her own halfway through the film establishing herself as the brains behind the business.
Ramona’s grand entrance at the beginning is a pure showstopper. Dressed in rhinestones, a skimpy leotard and the highest platform stilettos, Scafaria focuses on the hypnotic movement of J Lo’s flexing muscles rather than becoming another sultry pole dance scene. Like any good pole performance, it ends with a rain of dollar bills. As she walks away, Ramona bumps into Destiny delivering one of her best lines; “Does the money make you horny?”
Hustlers is the type of film that will be on your mind for a while. In cinema’s now.
