Film Review: Hustlers Is Fiercely Feminist
Synopsis: Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.
Me: This is one of the best films of the year!
When it comes to the sex industry, feminism is a weird topic because, as women, we are still seen as sex objects. In essence, strip clubs have manifested because of that literal view. Historically, our country’s economy was built on two things: slavery and sex. Brothels were a major part of the Wild Wild West, and, even today, the sex industry is one of the most lucrative while women’s sexual/ bodily health is still up for male discussion. For some reason, men want to screw us and screw us over, all at once, of which Hustlers has ladies turning the tables…..or shall I say poles.
Hustlers | Official Trailer | MTV Movies
For some reason, women are still judged for working in the sex industry, despite, for many, it being the only access to a stable/ even wealthy income. Sure, we can judge them, but why do we not judge a world that has made womanhood so second class that selling yourself, at times, becomes the only option for you to buy food for your family. Enter Constance Wu’s Destiny; a mom that turns to stripping to, literally, keep her family alive, like many other strippers. Wu balances a sweetness and bite within her character, which frankly permeates in every woman that crosses the screen, including the investigative journalist interviewing her (Julia Stiles as Elizabeth). Directed and written by Lorene Scafaria, each woman/ hustler’s cinematic journey is derived from the realization that there are different moral standards and societal rules for poor women and rich men, and, some of us, really break down in trying to keep up with them.
Frankly, I was so happy this film was made by a woman because Scafaria elaborates you don’t become a stripper because you are a “natural hoe.” She doesn’t slut shame her characters nor does she show enjoying sex, as a woman, to be tasteless and wicked. Instead, she focuses on the hearts of her female characters, and how living desperately while others live lavishly, with no moral merit, can make you cross moral/criminal boundaries, as well.If anything the men Scafaria’s characters serve are decrepit, and as each lady/ hustler fall on their own hard, economic time, you see why they feel alright scamming these guys. Why play fair if the game is rigged. Enter Lopez’s Ramona as a wise guide, loyal friend, and protector to her fellow strippers/ fierce ladies: Cardi B as Diamond, Keke Palmer as Mercedes, and Lili Reinhart as Annabelle, and Lizzo as Liz.
Each lady is fun, energetic, bright, and funny, which makes you want them to win, especially Lopez’s fiercely glamorous, smart, and accessibly humble Ramona. At times, it is hard to not want them to succeed in their scams, which involve drugging wealthy men and taking their money, because they are good people trying to get better. Moreover, something about a jerk eating well in his penthouse while you watch your kids starve in a room really bursts your bubble of “moral fairness.” Society ain’t fair! Hustlers feels like a crime dramedy, but will make you ask who committed the crime or, at least, if we are all guilty in some way?
How I mastered the Pole Dance | Hustlers BTS Part 1
As you and Elizabeth, try to figure out how a group of smart women/ good friends, went from rolling high on a crime spree to getting caught and being forever changed, Hustlers uses glamorous shots. big hearts, and cool thrills and laughs to help you decipher where you stand in the moral spectrum between the hustlers and the privileged. Hustlers comes out in theaters September 13 and you need to SEE IT!
