InCinemas SG

Opening Date

12 Sep 2019

Rating

M18 Nudity & Some Drug Content

Runtime

107 mins

Language

English - subtitles to be advised

Genre

Comedy, Crime, Drama

Director

Lorene Scafaria

Cast

Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Lili Reinhart, Keke Palmer, Julia Stiles, Cardi B, Lizzo

Synopsis

Inspired by the thrilling and scandalous true story, HUSTLERS follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. Featuring a stellar all-star female cast of Jennifer Lopez (Second Act), Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians ), Cardi B, Lili Reinhart (Riverdale), Keke (Palmer Scream Queens), Julia Stiles (Silver Linings Playbook), and Oscar winner Mercedes Ruehl (The Fisher King).

Reviews

By Flora 12 Sep 2019

Loosely based on a true story, Hustlers is a seductively entertaining film with a powerhouse cast.

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Loosely based on a true story, Hustlers is a seductively entertaining film with a powerhouse cast.

Hustlers is loosely based on a New York article written by Jessica Pressler about a group of strippers-turned-conmen who danced their way through riches by conning the rich, privileged Wall Street dudes.

It opens with Destiny (Constance Wu) struggling to be a stripper in a famous high-end Scores club but obviously is failing at it with her teasing and dance moves until she meets the club’s most celebrated dancer - Ramona. Enchanted by her pole dancing skills - to be honest, we all are - Destiny agrees to be mentored by Ramona and the two slowly became close friends. The two became one of the most successful strippers in the club, earning the big bucks from their wealthy Wall Street clients. Interest is piqued when Ramona explains to Destiny the various tiers of clients that walk into the clubs - from the lowest tier of men all the way to the worst - and usually richest- kind of men who only enters through the back door for a VIP experience.

When the 2008 financial crisis hit America and the world, the ladies were also affected by the economic downturn as the entertainment dollar went down. To maintain their status, the duo came up with their own plan by drugging their clients and maxing out their credit cards. They even recruited a team of girls as they take on more risks for more money, to swindle those they feel are responsible. But all it takes is for that one man to come forward and admit to the world that he ‘spent’ thousands of dollars in a stripper club.

There are quite a number of films that have taken on the stripper theme, but what makes Hustlers stand out is for its depiction of these women and their jobs. Sure, it’s raunchy, raucous and sexy, there’s even a scene where Cardi B’s character teaches Destiny (Wu) what a proper lap dance looks like while demonstrating on Ramona (Lopez)! But what director and writer Lorene Scafaria did, was to not only give respect to the ladies who are stripping as part of their job, the story focuses on the heist and greed of these women who were just victims of the economic inequality who sees their clients nothing more than just a transaction. It is also the friendship between Destiny and Ramona, as well as the sisterhood among the other ladies that include Annabelle (Lili Reinhart) and Mercedes (Keke Palmer) that is so heartwarming and pure.

Lopez not only shows that she is one of the most hardworking artistes out there with her impeccable pole dancing moves, but she also plays Ramona with grit, humour and sensitivity, it’s hard to take your eyes away from her the moment she strides out onto the neon-lighted stage.

Scafaria gives an all-round entertaining and well-executed heist that is sexy on its own terms, but it delves deeper into the human desire for approval, power and control. With standout performances from the ensemble cast, Hustlers is also visually enchanting - from diamond-studded leotards to the hues of the colour palette used.
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Hustlers