Netflix kicks off its big summer film slate with Hustle, a new basketball sports story starring Adam Sandler and the Utah Jazz’s Juancho Hernangomez that immerses viewers into a compassionate and compelling story of a rising phenom.
On paper Hustle seems like a traditional inspirational sports film. It follows weary NBA scout Stanley Sugerman (Adam Sandler) as he attempts to bring an unknown international player Bo (Hernangomez) into the NBA. Yet, the connections it has to the NBA and the people involved makes it something more. Hustle feels like a film made for basketball fans by basketball fan as its absolutely littered with tons of NBA talent and Lebron James serving as a producer. I can only imagine the little nods here and there for NBA fans — especially Philadelphia fans to pick out. It’s nice to have a sports film be as dedicated and detailed as a superhero movie is for comic fans.
The sense of authenticity that Hustle brings for basketball also bleeds into its tone and story approach as it trades inspirational sappiness for hard hitting drive. Director Jeremiah Zagar’s camerawork gives Hustle a documentary feel. Handheld movement and tight shots creates a more immersive experience. This makes action-oriented moments on the court absolutely riveting. You’re constantly left breathless by the incredible athleticism and determination displayed in intense training and on-court action. Zagar captures it all with a great blend of style and vision to make them absolutely hypnotizing.
There’s one montage in the middle of the film that was particularly impressive. The montage sees Bo transition as a player through Stan’s training. It’s a really special moment in the film because of how everything slowly changes and the energy behind it is just incredible. Even the way the music changes from hard rap to Dan Deacon’s almost magical score is mind-blowing. You feel yourself instantly become invested and kind of emotional in this transition. There’s no doubt that Hernangomez and other players on-screen actually being professional players adds to the fluidity and captivating aspects of play and it’s another defining trait of Hustle that makes it instantly stand apart.
It’s also great how Hustle touches on unique aspects of professional sports through new perspectives and interesting story beats. Stan being a scout rather than just a washed-up former player or coach brings in a new perspective early on. It sheds light on what it’s like for non-college athletes to join in the NBA draft. It’s great how the social media side of sports comes into play later in the film as it’s a rising aspect of modern sports and Hustle’s take on it is not only fun, but also works as an organic way to bring high-profile names into the mix. There’s so much to Hustle that basketball fans will adore, but there’s also plenty for everyone to enjoy.
Hustle is never overly technical with how it touches on basketball so viewers that aren’t fans of the sport or don’t know much won’t feel lost. Plus, there are strong personal aspects to Bo and Stan’s journey together that are easy to connect to and elevated through great performances. Hustle isn’t about winning a championship or beating some rival team, it’s really about achieving dreams and personal motivations. Stan’s dream of becoming a coach is partly about achieving a personal goal, but it’s also so he can spend time with his family and stop traveling all the time. For Bo, his chance at the NBA means providing more for his family, so it’s great that there are these more personal aspects to their motivations.
Admittedly, it would’ve been nice to have these more family-oriented aspects play a more prevalent role in the film throughout just because it can be lost in the shuffle. However, the way that family weaves in and out of the film acts as great reminders of their motivations and the family interactions within the film are some of the most genuine and heartfelt of the film largely because of Hernangomez and Sandler’s standout performances.
Hernangomez delivers some good emotion as Bo and certainly holds his own in bringing some good banter with Sandler. As for Sandler, well, he delivers another award-worthy performance that showcases him as something more than just a comedian and defines why he’s an underrated talent. He embodies the raw and genuine emotion of this film from start to finish and the less goofy side of his comedy lands excellently throughout, especially when it comes to throwing digs at Bo. Sandler’s performance in Hustle is just another feather in his cap and proves that he could be on a great dramatic turn in his career.
Hustle is the kind of underdog story that any viewer can rally around with its amazing odes to basketball as a sport and culturally, Sandler’s phenomenal performance, and some breakout direction from Zagar elevating it to being one of the best sports films in years.
