After decades of paying her dues in Hollywood, Jennifer Lopez has finally landed the role of a lifetime in her latest film, Hustlers. With a box office opening that far surpassed even the most generous projections, critics praising both Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu for their stellar performances, an all-star cast worthy of all ‘the hype,’ and a plot that’s actually based on a true story, you don’t need to tell us twice to go see Hustlers in theaters. Although admittedly, we may need to see it twice in theaters, just for good measure.
A Debut to Remember
Hustlers hit theaters on Friday and ticket sales astonished even the most generous projections, totaling over 32 million in revenue on opening day. According to DEADLINE, Hustlers is now “the best domestic debut ever for a Lopez live-action film.” And apparently, audiences aren’t the only ones super enthused over the film. Critics are hailing Jennifer Lopez’s performance as ‘Ramona,’ a single mom from the Bronx working as a stripper to make ends meet, as simply sensational.
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone Magazine writes, “If you want to know what a star’s entrance is—watch Lopez take the screen as if by divine right.”And he is not alone in his praise of Lopez; Rumors of an Oscar nod for JLo began circulating days before the film had yet to even be released and are only expected to continue gaining traction with time.
Squad Goals
Yet, JLo isn’t the only actress in Hustlers creating a buzz- The film features a star-studded cast so fierce they make the Ocean’s 8 squad seem like a troop of girl scouts on a scavenger hunt. Crazy Rish Asians and Fresh off the Boat star Constance Wu plays the role of struggling waitress, ‘Destiny,’ while Cardi B shines in her role as NY stripper “Diamond,” Keke Palmer plays “Mercedes, Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart is ‘Anabelle,’ plus supporting roles from actresses Julia Styles and Mette Towley… and the list literally goes on… and on. Did we mention Usher has a cameo in the film? Well, he does.
True Story
The Lorene Scafaria film is based on a true story chronicled within a viral New York Magazine article titled “The Hustlers at Scores,” written in 2015 by Jessica Pressler. The film’s plot focuses on a group of women who were already hard up for cash prior to the 2008 financial crisis, but when faced with the economic tidal wave about to hit the US hard, these women were faced with a decision to sink into poverty or to find a way to ride the tide long enough to find their footing on dry land. In an effort to keep paying the rent, Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu’s characters devise a plan to scam Wall Street scum out of their debatably not-so-hard-earned dollars.
While you’ve got to check out the film for more dirty details, one thing is certain- whether you’re a “Wedding Planner” kinda-girl or you’re all about that “Monster-In-Law,” you’re about to be adding Hustlers to your list of JLo cult-classics.
