Sayak Basu
‘Hustlers‘ is a 2019 crime-drama film based on a real story published in the New York magazine. The film is directed by Lorene Scafaria and stars Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, and Cardi B in major roles. The plot of the film centers around a group of strippers who plan different ways in which they can rob the rich businessmen and CEOs who come to them for their services. They usually drug these people and steal all of their money. However, their endeavor takes a hit when the 2008 financial crisis hits America and the world and rich people no longer can afford money to spend on strippers. How these strippers pick themselves up during this time and carry on their trade pushes the narrative forward.
The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival to mostly positive critical acclaim. Jennifer Lopez’s performance is, without a doubt, the highlight of the film. The singer-cum-actor is flawless in her role, and her natural dancing skills helped her get into the skin of the character easily. The story and direction are also impressive. Scafaria has not only tried to tell a story about a group of strippers and their criminal plans, but has also added layers of emotion and social commentary to the narrative. If you enjoyed watching this film and are looking for more such movies, then we’ve got you covered. Here’s the list of best movies similar to ‘Hustlers’ that are our recommendations. You can watch several of these movies like ‘Hustlers’ on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.
7. The Bling Ring (2013)
Written, directed, and produced by the super-talented Sofia Coppola, ‘The Bling Ring’ is a story of how a group of teenagers break into the homes of several celebrities in order to steal their belongings. In the initial stages of the film, we see friends Marc Hall and Rebecca Ahn checking cars outside a party to find unlocked doors. When their mission is successful, the two of them take on bigger challenges. They find out on the internet that Paris Hilton will not be at her home, and use the moment to enter her house along with some friends to rob her. Later, they repeat the pattern at the houses of other celebrities as well. However, things take a turn when they find out that they might be in trouble with the law. The film could’ve gone for more intense character development, but fares poorly in that regard. However, it does explore certain dark facets of teenage life.
6. Magic Mike (2012)
While ‘Hustlers’ focuses on the lifestyle of female strippers, the 2012 film ‘Magic Mike’ tells the story of male strippers and the various challenges they might face in their professional lives. The eponymous central character is played by Channing Tatum. Mike does any part-time day job that comes his way in the morning, and at night he is the headlining performer among a group of male strippers. Mike even plays the role of a mentor to a young stripper who is slowly spreading his wings in the business. Life goes on quite smoothly until one day certain events force Mike to question the choices he has made and measure them against the losses he has to face because of the same. The film stands out with the performances, not just by Tatum, but also by Matthew McConaughey in a supporting role.
5. 21 (2001)
Hustling can come in various forms, shapes, and sizes. Sometimes you might not even be aware that a man or woman is hustling some extra cash right under your nose, and by the time you do, it might already be too late. This is exactly what happens in the 2001 film ’21’. Here, Kevin Spacey plays the character of a Maths professor called Micky Rosa who has gathered some of his most distinguished students to form a group who would go to Las Vegas and count cards to win massive amounts at blackjack. Though the plan works at first, soon enough, their whole operation runs the risk of being exposed. The film is a lighthearted entertainer only made more interesting by its clever writing, witty dialogue, and impressive performances by Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne.
4. American Hustle (2013)
This 2013 film is one of the best crime dramas we have seen in recent years. ‘American Hustle’ tells the story of two con artists who are being used by the FBI to obtain vital information against some corrupt politicians. How these two criminals conduct an extensive sting operation forms the crux of the film. The film’s starcast is, of course, its main USP, with Hollywood glitterati Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Jeremy Renner playing the main characters. Director David O. Russell stages each scene meticulously and keeps the tension alive through the 138 minutes running time of the film. Despite receiving ten nominations, the cast and crew of ‘American Hustle’ returned empty-handed from the 86th Academy Awards.
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3. The Wizard Of Lies (2017)
If ‘Hustlers’ is a film about fraudsters, it is only fitting that here we talk about one of the greatest fraudsters America has ever witnessed. In this 2017 film, Robert De Niro plays the role of Bernie Madoff, a businessman whose Ponzi scheme robbed Americans of almost $65 billion in total. His scheme is now widely regarded as the biggest act of fraudulence in American history. All we can say about the film is that it is thoroughly entertaining. De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and other members of the cast have managed to put up a set of solid performances. Barry Levinson, who has earlier made films like ‘Bugsy’ and ‘Good Morning, Vietnam’, directed the film meticulously, keeping it free from dull moments.
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2. The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
While in ‘Hustlers’ we see how strippers made fools out of businessmen and CEOs to steal their money, in this 2013 film, Martin Scorsese shows us how some Wall Street brokers use the trust of their clients to fill their own pockets while the client suffers heavily. The film tells the story of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who started a firm where he and his associates used to sell cheap stocks at high prices to many of their clients, making a lot of money in the process. The story follows Belfort’s drug-fueled life of debauchery until the FBI finally start knocking at his door. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the character of Jordan Belfort in the film, and like always, his performance is a benchmark for others to follow. Margot Robbie became an instant heartthrob after appearing in this film as Belfort’s wife. Jonah Hill is another actor who showed us his true potential in this film. Overall, ‘The Wolf of Wall Street‘ is a movie that sharply criticizes modern man’s willingness to succeed at any cost whatsoever.
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1. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Steven Spielberg collaborated with Leonardo DiCaprio in this film where the latter takes on the role of another one of America’s most famous fraudsters, Frank Abagnale. Even before he reached his 19th birthday, this ”genius” fraudster performed cons which made him millions of dollars. Abagnale posed as a doctor, a Pan America pilot, a parish prosecutor and so on. He made most of his money by forging checks, and even when the authorities realized what he is up to, they found it extremely difficult to nail the man. The FBI bank fraud agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) is after Frank, but the young fraudster proves to be too smart for the detective to catch. Both DiCaprio and Hanks steal the show with their performances in the film. Spielberg sprinkles the tale with a sense of humor which makes for an entertaining cinematic experience.
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