In this above-average sports drama, Sandler shines.

I don’t have a lot of basketball knowledge. The name of the game makes it clear that the sport involves a ball and a few baskets, but aside from that, I know about as little about basketball as I do about the majority of other sports.

As a result, I wasn’t sure if I would like Hustle, Adam Sandler’s most recent Netflix release.

I didn’t much love Steven Soderbergh’s 2019 film on the sport, High Flying Bird, so I wasn’t exactly prepared for another potentially dull basketball movie after watching that overly talky and intricate drama.

My expectations were low for Hustle because, based on the premise, it sounded a lot like the aforementioned snooze-fest. Thankfully, the movie was far more enjoyable than I had anticipated.

Individual journeys

The story’s behind-the-scenes hijinks baffled me, but I couldn’t help but be moved by the struggles of the major characters and their need to find forgiveness after experiencing personal failures on their individual journeys.

In the film, Adam Sandler plays a fake talent scout for the Philadelphia 76ers named Stanley Sugerman. He sees Bo Cruz, a teenage construction worker, hustle on a basketball court while on assignment in Spain.

My expectations were low for Hustle because, based on the premise, it sounded a lot like the aforementioned snooze-fest. Thankfully, the movie was far more enjoyable than I had anticipated.

Develops a friendship

The story’s behind-the-scenes hijinks baffled me, but I couldn’t help but be moved by the struggles of the major characters and their need to find forgiveness after experiencing personal failures on their individual journeys.

In the film, Adam Sandler plays a fake talent scout for the Philadelphia 76ers named Stanley Sugerman. He sees Bo Cruz, a teenage construction worker, hustle on a basketball court while on assignment in Spain.

Following Vince’s choice, Sugerman chooses to furiously leave and hire Cruz as an independent agent.

Uncut Gems

The remainder of the film chronicles their journey together as Sugerman welcomes Cruz into his house, develops a friendship with the heavily tattooed behemoth, and works to offer them both the chance to rise in the NBA hierarchy.

As the struggling talent scout, Sandler does a fantastic job, leaning less on his humorous proclivities and more on the vulnerable side of his acting personality.

He once again demonstrates that he is capable of far more than the comedy clown role for which he is most known. He is just as good here as he was in the excellent Uncut Gems.

The actor should appear in more films like this one instead of laugh-free fare like Grown Ups and The Ridiculous 6, as he excels in these more serious roles.

Cartoon characters

Juancho Hernangomez, a real-life basketball star, plays the part of Cruz and matches him admirably.

He is quite likeable in his debut film role, and while though he probably won’t give up sports for acting, it would be great to see him in another film, as long as he doesn’t follow LeBron James’ lead and perform alongside cartoon characters in a sequel to Space Jam.

The Way Back

The two men are the central characters in this underdog sports tale, but they are surrounded by a talented supporting cast, including Queen Latifah and Robert Duvall, as well as a number of basketball greats who make an appearance both on and off the court.

The film never falters because of their performances, even when it threatens to become bogged down in backroom politics and using clichés from other movies.

Hustle isn’t very innovative because we’ve seen versions of this movie before.

Watching Cruz train for his upcoming games will make you think of Rocky’s training scenes, and The Way Back, starring Ben Affleck as a former basketball star who worked his way back into the game as a sports coach, may also come to mind as you consider the story of a man trying to make his way back into the NBA after a protracted absence.

positive reviews

Hustle still holds our attention despite its resemblance to earlier motion pictures, in part due to the exciting basketball scenes that director Jeremiah Zagar skillfully creates and in part due to its two main characters, who we want to see succeed despite the many obstacles that stand in their way.

This film is more relatable than the aforementioned High Flying Bird, which was largely incomprehensible to anyone unfamiliar with basketball lingo and the business side of the sport. This is to the director’s credit.

Hustle’s heart and soul

Despite my hatred for it, Soderbergh’s film earned positive reviews from critics, but it lacked Hustle’s heart and soul, which makes it a lot warmer, more compelling film than that dialogue-heavy bore.

After watching the movie, I still don’t know a lot about basketball, but that’s okay.

Motivational tale

Despite my inability to distinguish between a double-dribble and a double-double, I enjoyed watching Hustle. While I wouldn’t exactly call this film a slam-dunk, it did keep my interest.

This was due in part to the chemistry between Sandler and Hernangomez and in part to the inspiring tale of triumph over adversity, which never gets old.

Therefore, regardless of how well you understand basketball, you might still learn something from this. It’s a heartwarming, humorous, and motivational tale that makes the proper kinds of indelible impressions.

Although Adam Sandler didn’t mishandle the ball this time, you might feel encouraged to join your local basketball team after seeing this.