Hustle
Stanley Sugarman (Adam Sandler) is a basketball talent scout for the Philadelphia 76ers, and his job takes him around the world in search of the next Michael Jordan or LeBron James, keeping him away from his wife Teresa (Queen Latifah) and daughter Alex (Jordan Hull), but he presses on in hopes of eventually becoming a coach for the 76ers. After a series of setbacks, including Vince Merrick (Ben Foster) - the son of Stanley's friend Rex (Robert Duvall) who died - becoming co-owner of the 76ers, Stanley finds himself farther and farther from his dream. While in Spain, he runs across a local pick-up game where he sees Bo Cruz (Juancho Hernangomez) hustling local players with his incredible talent, Stanley thinks he's found the next big thing.
Returning to the States with Bo, however, he soon finds that his choice might've been a bad one. Vince doesn't think he has what it takes, and his first outing proves less than stellar, and when news of a criminal record in Spain hits the news, it's all but over for Bo's career before it even starts. Thinking outside the box, Stanley manages to draw publicity for Bo, giving him another chance to achieve his dream of playing professional basketball, and Stanley's dream of coaching the 76ers.
I'm a sucker for an underdog story, as I'm sure most people are, so despite it being all about sportsball I was excited to see "Hustle," and I wasn't disappointed. It showcases the tenacity, the struggle, and the dedication it takes to pursue your passion, and to not give up even when it seems all hope is lost. The film really grounds the search to be a basketball phenom by getting down to the nitty gritty of it all, polishing off the polished veneer and embodying the spirit within. It hearkens back to classic sports films like "Rudy" and "Rocky" (the latter more obviously, as it also takes place in Philadelphia, and Stanley even mentions Rocky by name), and serves as a story for anyone who thinks that they can do what other people do in sporting events - it's not as easy as it looks.
Adam Sandler has had a rough go at it when it comes to his filming choices, relegating himself to Netflix original stinkers like "The Ridiculous Six" and "Hubie Halloween," but his downward trajectory started way before his deal with the streaming service. Yet in 2019 he absolutely hit it out of the park with his best film ever, "Uncut Gems" (also about basketball, but in a much darker sense), a film that highlighted his natural ability to be chaotic but in a very dramatic, heart-racing way that never lets up from start to finish, and it's still a travesty that he didn't receive an Oscar nomination for his role. While critics are hailing "Hustle" as his best work ever, to me it's second place to "Uncut Gems," and I don't know honestly what he'd be able to do to rise above that. He plays Stanley with an effortless charm and personality that is Sandler's bread and butter, and he totally excels at the part. You want him to succeed, and the relationship he has with Bo Cruz is much more than a coach and prospective player - but father and son.
Real-life Utah Jazz player Juancho Hernangomez makes his big-screen debut as Bo Cruz, and proves that basketball players can actually act (unlike LeBron - who also produced the film - as is evident in that God-awful "Space Jam: A New Legacy") and give a performance worthy of recognition. On the outside, Bo is a towering muscle man who hustles people for money to provide for his young daughter and his mother, but on the inside he's a sensitive soul who's affected by what people say about him. You can sense this inner turmoil in his soulful eyes, and Hernangomez isn't afraid to reach deep inside and pull out something more than just a generic rags-to-riches character. His relationship with Sandler's Stanley is moving and surprisingly emotional for a sports film, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't shed a few soft tears.
While it's not "Uncut Gems," "Hustle" is Adam Sandler's second best film in recent memory for the actor, who showcases his dramatic chops once again and proves that he really can be a versatile actor if given the chance. Yes, the film is your generic sports movie with that feel good zinger at the end, but with the charm of Adam Sandler and the root-ability of JUancho Hernangomez, you don't mind sitting through this saccharine underdog story.
The Score: A+
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