Movie Review - Hustlers

Hustlers ** (out of 5) (R) From the hype and trailers you likely knew before opening that this is a dramedy about some Manhattan strippers starring Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu and a slew of other attractive and talented women. It’s also loosely fact-based, covering the era surrounding the 2008 economic crash, and how it affected their lives. Since their income relied on the free-wheeling lifestyles of wealthy stock traders, bankers and hedge fund dudes, the clubs faltered when the big, fast profits of the market dropped off the gilded table.

This story tries to cover too much ground to succeed at any. For titillation seekers, there’s surprisingly little nudity, despite the amount of time spent on performance bits and lap dances. Showgirls, for all its flaws, offered more of that. Even so, J Lo shows she’s in remarkably good condition (aesthetically and athletically) during several early scenes.

There’s a stab as social commentary about who is hustling whom at these clubs, and who deserves to pay the price. But none of that hits home with any power as the ups and downs of these ladies are charted throughout eight years of transitions. The owners and customers exploit the dancers, as the performers do the same in their own way. No winners; everyone in the game is something lesser.

As a feminist buddy-empowerment offering, it falls short again. Wu’s character is telling the story to a reporter (Julia Stiles) as we watch flashbacks of her tale. Only two of the characters are defined, and even then with too little insight to really empathize with their personae or their bond. No one’s a social warrior to admire. None of their “victims” deserve much sympathy. It’s surprisingly devoid of reasons for meaningful emotional engagement. Quite disappointing. (9/13/19)