Southwest Messenger - September 22nd, 2019

PAGE 16 - SOUTHWEST MESSENGER - September - 22, 22, 2019
www.columbusmessenger.com
In Entertainment
“Hustlers” showcases humanity and complexity of exotic dancers
With a plot that revolves around female
exotic dancers, there was an extremely
high risk that the film “Hustlers” would
turn out to be a disaster. Though written
and directed by a woman, it is a rare occurrence
when movies portray these people as
anything other than sexual objects with
“daddy issues” so you just kind of had to
hold your breath and hope for the best.
“Hustlers” was a surprise and in the
best of ways. Not only did Lorene Scafaria
showcase the humanity and complexities of
these characters and their profession, but
she did so it ways that didn’t feel voyeuristic
despite the nudity and sexual situations
depicted within. There are times, however,
when it does veer into that uncomfortable
category but those scenes were shot by
design.
While showing sensitivity, Scafaria also
doesn’t shy away from the seedier aspects
of the clubs where they work, the demeaning
behavior from the male customers, nor
does she lessen the blow of the dancers’
criminal decisions later on. When I went to
see this film, I didn’t expect it to be as deep
as it is, but as I said it was a surprise and
in the best of ways.
The film is a fictionalized look at a story
taken from Jessica Pressler’s 2015 New
York Magazine article about a group of
New York City dancers who were arrested
for drugging men and maxing out their
credit cards. Names have been changed, for
obvious reasons, and scenes have been
embellished for entertainment purposes
but the fact still remains that this actually
happened.
The plot largely centers on a young
woman named Dorothy/Destiny
(Constance Wu) who works at various
clubs in New York to support her grandmother.
One might think she would be raking
in the cash, but at the end of the day
she has to share profits with bouncers, bartenders,
club owners and disc jockey’s,
leaving her with little savable income.
After a particularly rough night, she
meets Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) and is
instantly enamored with this more experienced
dancer who has the club eating out of
the palm of her hand. Wanting to know all
of her secrets, Destiny asks Ramona for
help, and so begins a deeply complex
friendship filled with love, laughter, support
and knowledge about which rich guys
to target.
As the years pass, they drift apart when
Destiny moves away and has a child. Then,
when the recession of 2008 hits and her
boyfriend takes off, she goes back to New
York and resumes her friendship with
Ramona.
But things have changed in Ramona’s
world too with the clubs not bringing in as
much money as they had in the past. Now,
she is in charge of a little operation where
a group of dancers (played by Keke Palmer
and Lili Reinhart) drug rich men, bring
them back to the club, and then proceed to
max out their cards while they are under
the influence. Wanting her friend to share
in the operation and its profits, she tries to
recruit Destiny into the scheme but she has
reservations as to its legality, as she
should. But after a particularly demoralizing
encounter with a customer and with
Ramona in her ear talking about how these
Wall Street types deserve to be bilked of
their money, she goes all in.
With the culture of silence regarding
men not wanting to talk about crimes perpetuated
against them by women, the scam
goes on for years. And then when it doesn’t,
the scene, set to Lorde’s Royals, is a glorious
one, probably one of the best scenes
featured in a movie this year.
There are times when the momentum
drags and point of view transitions become
awkward (it cuts between past and present
The Reel Deal
Dedra Cordle
day via interviews
with a journalist)
but overall
“Hustlers” is a highly
entertaining film
rich with humor,
complicated women,
an excellent soundtrack
and engaging performances, particularly
by Wu and Lopez.
It is no surprise that Lopez is getting
rave reviews and some award-season buzz
for her portrayal as Ramona. She oozes
charisma and warmth and that edge of
ruthlessness that make characters stand
out from the pack, and that is what she
does in “Hustlers.” She stands out in a film
that is in of itself a standout, and makes
this an immensely enjoyable watch.
Grade: B+
Dedra Cordle is a Messenger staff
writer and columnist.
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