Cast. Ben Foster, Juancho Hernangomez, Jordan Hull, Queen Latifah, Adam Sandler, Kenny Smith.
It feels as if Adam Sandler has been proving himself as a serious actor for more than a decade now - Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Funny People (2009) and Uncut Gems (2019).
In Hustle, Adam Sandler turns in one of his most earnest performances to date as basketball scout Stanley Sugarman. A long-term servant of the Philadelphia 76ers, Stanley is weary of living life on the road in search of the next star of the NBA, instead, he dreams of a coaching position. Sandler delivers a poignant and powerful performance.
But Adam Sandler isn't the only actor to shine in Hustle. Real-life NBA star Juancho Hernangomez, who plays Bo Cruz more than holds his own against the more seasoned professional. Hernangomez, as you might expect delivers the on-court action with apparent ease, but the debutant actor also brings a natural, naive vulnerability to the character. Hernangomez and Sandler generate an intensely believable chemistry as two tortured souls in search of redemption. They're a partnership that is easy to root for.
There's an authenticity to Hustle seldom seen in sports dramas. Adam Sandler's adoration of basketball, along with production credits from LeBron James' The Springhill Company, ensure a sincere portrayal of one of America's most popular sports. This is Adam Sandler's eulogy to James Naismith's creation, with a plethora of NBA stars, past and present adopting fictional roles or making cameo appearances. Even I have heard of Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley.
Director Jeremiah Zagar captures basketball, on-court and on the streets, in all its physical beauty through crisp camerawork, vibrant composition and tight editing. The on-court action is mesmerising, and the audience is seldom a passive observer, instead, fully immersed in a full-court press.
Hustle isn't pushing any boundaries of the sports drama genre. The storyline, in many respects, is formulaic as many of the familiar sports drama tropes are present - the plucky underdog, multiple training montages and motivational speeches from a coach. But these elements are excusable because Hustle is well-executed. The only criticism of Hustle is the film's tendency to follow the crowd-pleasing route toward an inevitable happy ending.
When I think of some of the great sports dramas of all time, I think of the likes of Rocky (1976), The Natural (1984), Remember The Titans (2000), Friday Night Lights (2004), The Blind Side (2009) and Moneyball (2011). Hustle may not belong in these high and mighty echelons, but it is a film with genuine heart and certainly ranks amongst the best basketball films.
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