Hustlers

Hustlers – korkojen kera / Hustlers [the title in Sweden].
    US © 2019 STX Productions LLC. PC: Gloria Sanchez Productions / Nuyorican Productions. In association with: Annapurna Pictures. Distributed by: STXFilms. P: Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Jennifer Lopez, Adam McKay, Benny Medina.
    D+SC: Lorene Scafaria – based on "The Hustlers at Scores: The Ex-Strippers Who Stole From (Mostly) Rich Men and Gave to, Well, Themselves" (The Cut, 28 Dec 2015) by Jessica Pressler. Cin: Todd Banhazl – colour – 2,39:1 – source format: DXL RAW (8K). PD: Jane Musky. AD: Kim Karon. Set dec: Alexandra Mazur. Cost: Mitchell Travers. Makeup: Margot Boccia. Hair: Angel De Angelis. M supervisor: Jason Markey (song list beyond the jump break). S: Sean McCormack, Jon Wakeham. ED: Kayla Emter. Casting: Gayle Keller.
    Cast as edited in Wikipedia:
    Constance Wu as Destiny, a stripper
    Jennifer Lopez as Ramona Vega, a veteran stripper
    Julia Stiles as Elizabeth, a journalist
    Keke Palmer as Mercedes, a stripper
    Lili Reinhart as Annabelle, a stripper
    Lizzo as Liz, a stripper
    Cardi B as Diamond, a stripper
    Mercedes Ruehl as Mama, the club's den mother
    Trace Lysette as Tracey
    Wai Ching Ho as Destiny's grandmother
    Mette Towley as Justice
    Madeline Brewer as Dawn
    Frank Whaley as Reese, Ramona's rich client
    Brandon Keener as Alpha
    Steven Boyer as Doug
    Jon Glaser as Mark
    Gerald Gillam as Johnny
    Devin Ratray as Stephen
    Rhys Coiro as Spencer
    Jovanni Ortiz as Joe, one of Ramona's clients
    Big Jay Oakerson as DJ, the club's DJ
    Usher as himself
Filming: New York City, 22 March to 3 May 2019. Locations also: New Rochelle, White Plains, Palisades Center. 110 min
Festival premiere: 7 Sep 2019 Toronto.
US premiere: 13 Sep 2019.
Finnish premiere: 18 Oct 2019 – SF Studios – Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Anna-Maija Ihander / Josefine Eld.
DCP viewed at Kinopalatsi 8, Helsinki, 14 Dec 2019

AA: Hustlers is a different kind of a crime story. It tells about a gang of sex workers who clean up Wall Street moneymen by drugging them unconscious and emptying their expense accounts. It's not a traditional big caper story; it's not Ocean's Eleven; it's been called "Robin Hoods in G-strings". It does not look like a gangster film, but in a literal sense it is one. It is about organized crime.

The syuzhet starts in 2014 when the former stripper Dorothy / Destiny (Constance Wu) tells her story to an interviewer, here called Elizabeth (Julia Stiles). But the fabula begins in 2007, "the fucking best year" for the strippers who were rolling in the money thrown upon them by the Wall Street financial wizards. "We made more money than a brain surgeon".

Comes the Black Monday, 29 September 2008, the worst ever financial crisis, "the end of an era", also the end of the big party of the strippers. The crash puts everyone out of business. Having given birth to a baby boy Destiny returns from Arizona and experiences the agony of unemployment and brutalized circumstances in the stripping scene. Immigrants provide sex services complete with intercourse which is where Destiny draws the line.

Ramona Vega (Jennifer Lopez), the strongest one, establishes a gang, and together the women move from ordinary sex business to organized crime. Armed with strong drugs (mixing Ketamin with MDMA) they systematically rob their customers / victims. Their reasoning: "This game is rigged", "What we do is harmless in comparison with what they did to our country". There is hardly anybody in prison who does not justify his or her crimes with a similar line of reasoning. The women know that the Wall Street wolves escaped punishment for their epic fraud. "This whole city, this whole country is one big strip club".

The women are brutalized. One of their drugged victims almost dies in an accident. Another victim is fired from his job and loses his home and family having become unable to pay the mortgage. Ramona stays tough, but Dorothy has pangs of conscience. Meanwhile, they are running out of victims because there are no return customers.

The portrayal of the world of the sex clubs feels authentic and accurate. We learn about champagne rooms and rules and limits of conduct. We also learn about the three classes of customers. The elite gets to use the back entrance, they pay 10 000 a night and have exclusive access to the only room without a camera. Ramona gives Dorothy masterclasses in pole dancing and lap dancing, and having literally invited her under her fur coat she teaches Dorothy the tricks of the trade. Dorothy follows her until the scam with the knockout drugs and the maxing out of credit cards goes too far.

Reportedly Hustlers was first offered for Martin Scorsese to direct, but Lorene Scafaria's female viewpoint is what makes this tale special. These working girls are tough, but they are also tender and nurturing mothers and family mainstays. They are tiger mamas. "Motherhood is a mental illness", Ramona keeps repeating, but she does not really mean it. "Motherhood: there is nothing like it", thinks Dorothy. Mother instinct is the opposite of the way of life in which "man is a wolf to his fellow man" as ancient Romans used to say. All males in this story seem spineless and worthless.

Hustlers is a film about strippers, and as a striptease show it does not disappoint. The women and the performances are outstanding. But, written and directed by a woman, it's different: it's made both for the male look and for the female look, and perhaps also for the queer look. Ramona's introductory sequence is a case in point. It is shot and edited from the viewpoint of the adoring Dorothy. Hustlers is a love story between Ramona and Dorothy, not in the sense of them ending up in bed, but Ramona becomes a model for Dorothy in carrying her femininity with pride.

The sex world depicted in the Hustlers is loud, vulgar and insensitive and I don't find it erotic. The hard lights in distorting, unnatural colours and heavy makeups make the women seem like Amazon warriors or gladiators in armours on the battleground of the sexes. There is no love between men and women. Only between mothers and children, and between women.

Jennifer Lopez I have been following from around 1997. I first saw her in Anaconda, and soon after in strong dramatic roles in U Turn and Out of Sight (still my favourite). This year Jennifer Lopez proudly celebrated her 50th anniversary without trying to hide her age. She is great in Hustlers. In the role of Ramona Vega she joins a special American tradition launched in the cinema by Texas Guinan and Mae West.

In world cinema Jennifer Lopez belongs to the daring tradition launched by Asta Nielsen in The Abyss (1910) who introduced twerking to the screen in her gaucho dance number. She had no problem in combining sex with brains.

Worth reading: the Jennifer Lopez interview with Jessica Pressler (who wrote the original 2015 article on which Hustlers is based), "The High-Powered Hustle of Jennifer Lopez" (GQ, 18 Nov 2019).

P.S. 16 Dec 2019. I just read this Jennifer Lopez interview by A. O. Scott for The New York Times Magazine.

"Do the Wall Street shuffle". Hustlers. Jennifer Lopez as Ramona Vega in her introduction scene, first pole dancing, then twerking with money, rolling in dough in 2007, "the fucking best year" for strippers and moneymen.

The Abyss (1910). Asta Nielsen introduces twerking to the screen. My screenshot from YouTube.

BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK: WIKIPEDIA SYNOPSIS:
BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK: WIKIPEDIA SYNOPSIS:

In 2014, former New York City-based stripper Destiny is invited for an interview with Elizabeth, a journalist working on a story involving Destiny's former friend and mentor, Ramona Vega.

Seven years prior, Dorothy, known by her stripper name as Destiny, is working at Moves, a strip club, to support her grandmother but is barely getting by. Mesmerized by Ramona's performance and the tips she earns, Destiny meets her on the roof of the club. Ramona agrees to take Destiny under her wing, and the two form a formidable team. Destiny enjoys newfound wealth and friendship with Ramona. A year later, the financial crisis of 2007–2008 strikes, and both women find themselves short of cash. Destiny becomes pregnant. She kicks her boyfriend out of the house shortly after their daughter's birth, and she is unable to find a new job.

With no other options, Destiny goes back to stripping. Moves has changed: the financial crisis has impacted their business, and the club is primarily staffed by immigrant women willing to perform sex acts for money, a line Destiny is unwilling to cross, but she does in a moment of desperation. She reconnects with Ramona, who introduces her to a new scheme. Along with her two protegées, Mercedes and Annabelle, Ramona targets rich men at bars, gets them drunk, and then escorts them to Moves where the girls steal their credit card numbers and charge them to their limit. Destiny joins in, and learns that Ramona uses a mix of ketamine and MDMA to impair judgment and cause memory loss in their targets, a tactic deemed worthwhile since their victims will rarely admit to being robbed by strippers.

The scheme works, and the women enjoy their new source of wealth. When some of the targets prove too aggressive for Mercedes and Annabelle to handle, Destiny suggests bringing in other girls, who are carefully trained to avoid drinking or using drugs. Ramona's partnership with Moves makes the credit card fraud lucrative for them. However, cracks start to show in their operation. Other strippers begin to emulate their strategies. Furious, Ramona cuts her business ties with Moves, and the group begins to service clients in hotel rooms or their own homes. Mercedes and Annabelle become increasingly unreliable with this new practice, so Ramona hires women with drug problems and criminal records to replace them, while Destiny balks at bringing in "junkies and criminals". Destiny's fears prove true when a client suffers a near-fatal accident and she must take him to the hospital. Meanwhile, Ramona is busy bailing out a particularly unreliable new hire, Dawn. Destiny returns home to find her grandmother has died. At the funeral, Ramona makes amends and promises to take care of Destiny from now on.

In 2014, Destiny becomes uncomfortable and stops the interview when Elizabeth insists on talking about Ramona. When Elizabeth returns home, Destiny calls and agrees to finish their conversation, recalling how her friendship with Ramona – and their crime ring – fell apart. Ramona's callousness drives a wedge between the women, and Destiny feels she can no longer justify her crimes. Dawn is picked up by the police and "flips" on her partners, while investigators manage to locate several victims and identify all of the girls. Destiny, Ramona, Annabelle, and Mercedes are arrested, but, only Destiny (thinking of her daughter) takes a plea deal. Ramona is sentenced to five years probation, while the others serve short jail sentences before being released on probation. A year later, Elizabeth visits Ramona, who is now working a retail job. Ramona reveals a childhood photo of Destiny that she keeps along with her most valued possessions. The article is published, and Elizabeth encourages Destiny to reach out to Ramona and make amends.

SOUNDTRACK CREDITS (IMDB):

Control
Written by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam (as James Harris)
Performed by Janet Jackson
Courtesy of A&M Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

So Amazing
Written by Dia Hodari, Ricardo Spicer, and Kyron Leslie
Performed by SweatBeatz
Courtesy of Affix Music, LLC

Make it Rain
Written by Lil' Wayne (as Dwayne Carter), Fat Joe (as Joseph Cartagena), and Scott Storch
Performed by Fat Joe ft. Lil' Wayne
Courtesy of Terror Squad Records
Lil Wayne appears courtesy of Cash Money Records/Republic Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

Do You Wanna Ride
Written by Bryson Junqueira Price
Performed by Bryson Price
Courtesy of InDigi Music

Let Your Love Shine
Written by Lanita L. Smith and Lorenzo Johnson
Performed by Queen She
Courtesy of InDigi Music Group

Dough (ft. Balance)
Written by John Fitzgerold Scott Jr. and Saeed Crumpler
Courtesy of Extreme Music

Werk
Written by Kendall E. Tolbert, Marcus Allen, Darion Crawford, and Shawn Johnson
Performed by Gulf Coast Balla (feat. Field Mob)
Courtesy of Gulf Coast Ballin' Entertainment

Furry
Written by Daniel DiPrima
Performed by Loud Cow
Courtesy of Loud Cow Moozik

Mile High Club
Written by Brandon Stewart, Cheapshot (as Colton Fisher), Jason Rabinowitz, Langston Theard, Jordyn Shankle, Brayden Deskins, Isaac Lucas, and Cameron Marygold
Performed by Kandi K. featuring Beatnet
Courtesy of The Math Club

Shake that Monkey
Written by Too $hort (as Todd Shaw), Robert McDowell, and Lil Jon (as Jonathan Smith)
Performed by Too $hort featuring Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz (as Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz)
Courtesy of RCA Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment
Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz appear courtesy of The Orchard

Criminal
Written and performed by Fiona Apple
Courtesy of Epic Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

Say Oh
Written by Chief WaKil (as Mansa Wakili), Caleb J. Middlebrooks (as Caleb Middlebrooks), Cheapshot (as Colton Fisher), Jason Rabinowitz, and Luke Dimond
Performed by Leo Soul
Courtesy of The Math Club

Etudes, Op. 25, No. 7 in C-Sharp Minor
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Arranged by Matt Herskowitz
Performed by Matt Herskowitz

Etudes, Op. 25, No. 1 in A-flat major 'Aeolin Harp'
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas

A Way Out
Written by Kelli Wakili (as Kelli Domonique Wakili), Garrett Barnes (as Garrett Marshall Barnes), Kurt Zimmer, Cheapshot (as Colton Fisher), Jason Rabinowitz, and Cameron Marygold
Performed by Love Kelli featuring Emma Stereo
Courtesy of The Math Club

Fun
Written by Arcale Maurice Turner
Performed by DecadeZ
Courtesy of Affix Music, LLC

I Get Money
Written by 50 Cent (as Curtis Jackson), Kirk Robinson, Roy C. (as Roy C. Hammond), and William Stanberry
Performed by 50 Cent
Courtesy of Interscope Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Contains sample of "Top Billin'"
Performed by Audio Two
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

Money (ft. Hunnit, Kornblum Charlie, Monster Chico)
Written by Adam Hayman (as Adam Wesley Hayman), Deddrionne W Morgan, Christien Taylor Stribling, and Garrie Stanford McField II
Courtesy of Extreme Music

Conceited (There's Something About Remy)
Written by Remy Ma (as Remy Smith) and Scott Storch
Performed by Remy Ma
Courtesy of SRC Records/Republic Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

Mist of a Dream
Written by Sidney Banks
Performed by Birdlegs & Pauline
Courtesy of The Numero Group

Boom Click Boom
Written by Daniel DiPrima and Alex Marlowe
Performed by Daniel DiPrima (as DDP) featuring Katherine Eva
Courtesy of Zombie Bank Music

Etudes, Op. 25, No. 9 in G-Flat Major 'Butterfly Wings'
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas

Etudes, Op. 10, No. 11 in E-Flat Major
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas

Beautiful Girls
Written by J.R. Rotem (as Jonathan Rotem), Sylvester Jordan Jr., Sean Kingston (as Kisean Anderson), Ben E. King (as Ben King), Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller
Performed by Sean Kingston
Courtesy of Epic Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment
Contains sample of "Stand By Me"
Performed by Ben E. King
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

Gimme More
Written by Keri Hilson, Jim Beans (as James David Washington), DanJa (as Floyd Nathaniel Hills), and Marcella Araica
Performed by Britney Spears
Courtesy of RCA Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

Love in this Club
Written by Darnell Dalton, Jeezy (as Jay Jenkins), Ryon Lovett, Usher Raymond, Lamar Taylor, Polow Da Don (as Jamal Jones), and Keith Thomas
Performed by Usher Raymond (as Usher) feat. Young Jeezy
Courtesy of RCA Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

A Whiff of Perfume
Written by Werner Tautz
Courtesy of Extreme Music

Etudes, Op. 10, No. 10 in A-Flat Major
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas

Will It Ever Be the Same
Written by Erin McCarley, Jeremy Lutito, and Young Summer (as Bobbie Allen)
Performed by Young Summer
Courtesy of Resin8 Music
Under license by Concord Music Publishing

Me & U
Written by Andrew Julius Berman
Performed by Madeaux
Courtesy of Madeaux
By arrangement with The Greater Goods Co.

Club Can't Handle Me
Written by David Guetta, Mike Caren (as Michael Caren), Carmen Key, Kasia Livingston, Fred Riesterer, Flo Rida (as Tramar Dillard), Giorgio Tuinfort, and Ari Levine
Performed by Flo Rida featuring David Guetta
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

The Best Years
Written by Margaret Ann Rich
Performed by Charlie Rich
Courtesy of Island Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

Motivation
Written by Lil' Wayne (as Dwayne Carter), Daniel Morris, Richard Butler, and Jim Jonsin
Performed by Kelly Rowland featuring Lil' Wayne
Courtesy of Republic Records / Cash Money Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

Sizzler
Written by Daniel DiPrima
Performed by Loud Cow
Courtesy of Loud Cow Moozik

Warp 1.9
Written by Steve Aoki, Clay Broussard, Sophia Broussard, and Bob Cornelius Rifo (as Simone Cogo)
Performed by Bob Cornelius Rifo (as The Bloody Beetroots) feat. Steve Aoki
Courtesy of Dim Mak Records, Inc.

Many Things
Written by James Robert West and Joseph Albert Candelaria
Performed by The Innocents
Courtesy of d2 Music

E-Talking
Written by David Dewaele and Stephen Dewaele
Performed by Soulwax
Courtesy of Play It Again Sam / [PIAS]

Miss You Much
Written by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam (as James Harris)
Performed by Janet Jackson
Courtesy of A&M Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

Etudes, Op. 10, No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas

Don't Try to Explain
Written by Jeanne Dodd, Otis Hayes, and Zephire A Williams
Performed by La Femmes
Courtesy of Secret Stash Records

Etudes, Op. 10, No. 1 in C Major
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas

Etudes, Op. 10, No. 3 in E Major 'Tristesse'
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas

Etudes, Op. 10, No. 6 in E-flat Minor
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas
Etudes, Op. 25, No. 11 in A Minor 'Winter Wind'

Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas

Etudes, Op. 10, No. 11 in E-flat Major
Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Frédéric François Chopin)
Performed by L.H. Thomas