Hustlers

Hustlers is a 2019 heist type drama based on the New York Magazine article “The Hustlers at Scores” by Jessica Pressler. It is directed by Lorene Scafaria and features an ensemble of women working at the famous New-York strip club, led by Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez. The story spanning over a decade focus on three time periods. One before the 2008 financial crash where our protagonists get to know each other, the club is successful, and the work atmosphere enjoyable. One after and during the crisis, where the women come up with a plan by forming a “gang” of strippers and carrying on a “get rich quick” scheme akin to “robbing a bank every night.” The last one is about the lives of our leading duo after they get caught and are interviewed by a journalist retelling the events happening in the film.

“…The women come up with a plan by forming a ‘gang’ of strippers and carrying on a ‘get rich quick’ scheme akin to ‘robbing a bank every night.'”

Hustlers is at first the story of Dorothy, played by Constance Wu, a former stripper who is interviewed by a journalist portrayed by Julia Stiles. Dorothy was lonely, financially struggling while carrying for her grandmother, and not very good at her job. She then meets Ramona Vega, a charismatic coworker, and performer played by Jennifer Lopez. She became her protegee, and the two started working together, making enough money to live comfortably. Everything was going amazingly well in Dorothy’s life. She first started studying and planning for a future out of the business, but she became a single parent and was unlucky finding a job anywhere else. On top of that, the financial crisis affected the business of the club, and the girls were once again struggling. So, Ramona eschewed a plan to scam mainly greedy and despicable traders. Because after losing billions of people’s money (destroying lives in the process), these “Wall Street bros” were still coming to the club where they were shamelessly spending indecent amounts of money as nothing happened…Ramona convinced Dorothy to join her in “righting a wrong and taking what’s there.” She recruited two other coworkers played by Keke Palmer and Lili Reinhart, and the four operated a thriving business by drugging clients and maxing out their credit cards in the club – that was also in on the deal.