Hustle was released in select theaters on June 3, 2022, and on Netflix on June 8. The film received positive reviews from critics, with Sandler's performance singled out for praise and earning him his first Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.
Plot
Stanley Sugerman, a jaded international scout for the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, lives life on the road searching for future stars. His frequent travel takes a toll on his wife Teresa and daughter Alex. While he is liked by 76ers owner Rex Merrick, he clashes with Rex's son Vincent. Rex promotes Stanley to assistant coach, allowing him to remain at home with his family. The same evening, however, Rex dies, leaving Vince in charge. Three months later, Vince demotes Stanley again to scout, sending him overseas. His former college teammate Leon Rich encourages him to leave the 76ers and also become a player agent. When Stanley's plan to scout a player in Spain falls through, watching a local pick-up game, he is stunned by an incredibly talented unknown player.
Stanley attempts to speak with the man, Bo Cruz, but is rebuffed until he makes a FaceTime call to Dirk Nowitzki to prove his legitimacy. Bo and his mother Paola recount his life story: he was a talented player from an early age and was invited to play in America at age 15, but stayed in Spain after his girlfriend became pregnant with his daughter Lucia. Bo now works construction and makes extra money hustling at basketball. After an impressive workout with members of the Spanish national team, Stanley urges the 76ers front office to sign Cruz immediately, but Vincent is unconvinced. Taking matters into his own hands, Stanley pays to bring Cruz to the US, telling him he will be signed by the Sixers or enter the NBA draft. At the airport, Bo is detained for an aggravated assault conviction he received in Spain. He is released, but warned that he could be deported if he were to be arrested in America.
Stanley takes Bo to play at a showcase organized by Leon, which is also attended by the presumptive second overall pick Kermit Wilts. Stanley advises Bo that if he successfully defends Wilts, it will significantly raise his stock with the Sixers. During the workout, Cruz shows flashes of talent, but struggles on offense and at guarding Wilts, who trash talks him and throws him off his game. When Vince passes on Bo, Stanley quits the 76ers to prepare Cruz for the NBA Draft Combine six weeks away. Telling Bo his only weakness is his sensitivity, he builds on his mental toughness. Teresa and Alex assist with the training by preparing meals and taping workouts. Bo improves dramatically through Stanley's coaching, but Leon cannot get him into the Draft Combine after Vince spreads information about Bo's assault charge.
Furious at Stanley, Bo eventually reveals the charge stemmed from a fight with Lucia's mother's boyfriend after she tried to claim sole custody of Lucia. Stanley admits his injured hand was from a drunk driving crash while in college, derailing his basketball team's season and putting him in jail for six months. Their trust renewed, Stanley works tirelessly to get Bo into the combine, without success. To create interest, the Sugermans enlist Julius Erving to create a viral video of "the Boa Challenge", where people, including 76ers player Tobias Harris, attempt to score on Bo for money. Cruz is eventually accepted into the combine, and Stanley flies Lucia and Paola to the US to support him. Bo impresses in the physical elements of the combine, but faces off with Wilts again in a five-on-five exhibition game. He initially performs well, but Kermit begins talking trash about Bo's daughter and mother, eventually breaking his composure as he pushes Kermit down the floor. Bo then storms out of the combine.
Thinking that their journey is over, Stanley accompanies Bo to the airport. However, before Bo's plane leaves for Spain, Stanley receives a call from Leon informing about a private game for players and front office members and that Bo and Kermit have both been invited to participate. Playing without pressure, Cruz locks down Wilts defensively and demonstrates his offensive abilities. Rex's daughter Kat, who recognizes Stanley's talent, reveals she is taking over from Vince and rehires him. Five months later, the 76ers and Boston Celtics tip off for a game against each other with Stanley now the assistant coach of the 76ers and Bo playing for the Boston Celtics.
Cast
Adam Sandler as Stanley Sugerman, a scout and coach for the 76ers
Juancho Hernangómez as Bo Cruz, Stanley's basketball player recruit from Spain
Silas Graham as young Bo Cruz
Queen Latifah as Teresa Sugerman, Stanley Sugerman's wife
Ben Foster as Vince Merrick, Rex's son and 76ers co-owner
Robert Duvall as Rex Merrick, Vince's father and 76ers owner
In May 2020, Adam Sandler joined the cast of the film, with Jeremiah Zagar directing from a screenplay by Taylor Materne and Will Fetters, with Netflix set to distribute.[4] Sandler had seen Zagar's 2018 narrative feature debut We the Animals, and asked him to take a look at the script for Hustle. Zagar was initially hesitant, before becoming intrigued at the idea of shooting basketball in a cinematic way and signing on to the project.[5]
Filming began in Philadelphia in October 2020,[10] and continued at the Coatesville Area High School in Pennsylvania.[11] Many Philadelphia school, college, and university buildings were filming locations, including Tom Gola Arena at La Salle University, where the combine scene was filmed, and the Liacouras Center at Temple University, where Sandler's character is depicted playing college basketball. Multiple scenes were filmed in Center City, Philadelphia, including on Market Street[12] and the Italian Market,[13] as well as in Manayunk and South Philadelphia. Additional filming took place in Camden, New Jersey, and in Wells Fargo Center on January 14, 2022, where the Celtics and 76ers played against each other in a regulated NBA game.[14]
Reception
Audience viewership
Hustle was released in select theaters June 3, 2022, and worldwide on Netflix on June 8. According to Netflix, it was the platform's most-viewed film between June 8–19.[15][16]
Critical response
On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 93% based on 171 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's consensus reads, "Hustle doesn't have any fancy moves, but it doesn't need them—Adam Sandler's everyman charm makes this easy layup fun to watch."[15]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 68 out of 100, based on 41 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[17]
Sandler's performance was singled out for praise.[18][19] For ABC News, critic Peter Travers wrote: "It's always a slam dunk when Adam Sandler drops his doofus routine and really acts. And here, as a basketball scout who yearns to coach, he infuses every frame of this formulaic crowd-pleaser with a real-deal love of the game. Hot damn! We have a winner."[20]Owen Gleiberman felt Sandler "plays Stanley with an inner sadness, a blend of weariness and resilience, and a stubborn faith in the game that leaves you moved, stoked, and utterly convinced."[21] Robert Daniels for Polygon praised Sandler's "stunning, often unlikely intimacy", called Hernangómez "captivating", and complimented the filmmaking showcasing the basketball play, but felt the writers "struggle to develop their characters".[22]
Nina Metz of the Chicago Tribune was critical of the script, stating, "There aren't really any characters, it's kind of remarkable. It's a film that doesn't even rely on archetypes, it simply populates the screen with people, some of whom occasionally say things."[23]
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