FilmSnobReviews

Title: Hustle
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Jeremiah Zagar
Starring: Adam Sandler, Queen Latifah, Juancho Hernangomez
Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins

What It Is: Stanley Sugerman (Sandler) is a long-time scout for the Philadelphia 76ers. He’s also really tired of the traveling that that job requires. When he’s told he’ll get to stop scouting and coach he’s ecstatic. That is until the owner Rex Merrick (Robert Duval) dies. When his son Vince (Ben Foster) takes over he wants nothing to do with Stanley coaching and prefers to keep him on the road. On a scouting trip in Europe Stanley happens upon a Spanish construction worker named Bo Cruz (Hernangomez). This guy could very well be “the one” he’s been looking for. If the 6ers would ever listen to Stanley that is.

What We Think: Once again Adam Sandler shows us that he can hang with the best of them. This is a nuanced and beautiful performance from Sandler. One that’ll capture you. You root for Stanley Sugerman, you want him to win, you want Bo Cruz to turn out because of Stanley. Hernangomez is an absolutely welcomed surprise. Closer to Ray Allen in He Got Game this is an excellent athlete to actor performance. This however has the added difficulty of English being Hernangomez’ second language. Zagar takes subtle moments to show his eye and those are welcomed. Narratively it treads it’s familiar turf with fresh eyes. Sports movies rarely evolve all that much. It’s the emotions that make or break something like this.

Our Grade: A-, Not only is this a surpsingly emotional and motivating piece it’s one of my personal favorites of the year thus far. Shout out to Queen Latifah in this because she’s Sandler’s center in this and their characters relationship is foundational to the film as a whole. This one is one Netflix and you NEED to check it out immediately. I love a good surprise and this was one. Check this one out. It’s worth your time.