Hustle utilizes a little bit of everything Adam Sandler (Billy Madison) excels at to make a comforting sports dramedy that is a welcome addition to his filmography. Sandler's love for the NBA lives out loud in this film and — from the film's lead to the extras — the leagues fit in seamlessly with a wide range of actors. The film isn’t perfect, but it is genuine when the time calls for it. Hustle is a part of the new era of sports movies that aren’t about playing the game, but the machinations around it. Director Jeremiah Zagar’s (We The Animals) touch is just right for this sort of film that could have easily been mishandled by a different filmmaker. Not every dramatic turn is lucky enough to be Uncut Gems, and yet The Ridiculous 6 didn’t exactly evoke shades of Happy Gilmore. But in this era of his career, it's good to know Sandler can still deliver a solid dramedy.
When a big career change comes down on Philadelphia 76ers scout, Stan Sugarman (Sandler) is forced to stop feeling sorry for himself and go out and find the next big thing. He finds that in construction worker Bo Cruz (Juancho Hernangomez) in the basketball courts of Spain. Bo hustles and takes money from unsuspecting ballers, but he also shows Stan that he has what it takes to play in the big leagues. Stan foots the bill and secretly tries to get Bo into the NBA draft, but is met with a world of opposition. Both Bo and Stan must reckon with their past selves to become the NBA figures they aspire to be.
The collection of Sandler's dramatic performances seems to grow every four or five years. At this point, the Saturday Night Live alum has at least tamed critics of his more serious work. Surprisingly, Hustle is not trying to be something it isn’t. The film plants its feet firmly in the NBA world and does not move. The closing credits are void of names like Queen Latifah (Set It Off) and Robert Duvall (Days Of Thunder) and instead include basketball players like Trae Young, who barely has speaking lines in the film. Though confusing at first, the choice is actually a love letter to basketball and employs found footage to evoke an earnest salute to the sport.
Hernangomez is known to the hard-core NBA fan, but not the layman. This ends up working to his advantage because the audiences come in without certain assumptions or knowledge that could derail their enjoyment of the film. Hernangomez plays Bo well despite this being his first acting gig. Credit to Zagar for placing him in situations that not only keep him away from exhibitionist monologues, but also showcases that this was the right player to cast in this role. Opposite the stoic Hernangomez is Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, who makes it clear that he is the player most capable of sinking his teeth into a wordy scene. Edwards essentially plays the antagonist and, in scenes where he is talking trash to Bo on the court, he becomes the most engaging performer in the entire film.
Hustle brings together the cross-section of NBA fans and Sandler fans, particularly those who enjoy serious Sandler fare; they all have something to enjoy in this film. The actor has always been believable as a family man. But a balance is struck when he does it effortlessly and the family is not at the forefront of the script. It allows viewers to enjoy that aspect of him without the film having to spend time world-building. Ultimately, it’s Hernangomez’s relationship with his wife and daughter that ultimately pulls on the heartstrings. Maria Botto (Good Behavior), in particular, shines as the funny but loving mother.
The main knock on Hustle is a training montage long enough for two songs to play in their entirety. Training montages are a staple in the sports movie genre and Hustle has its heart in the right place. But montages are generally where script writing, directing, and editing are sometimes all fighting against each other. The montage is centered around Bo running up a hill in less than two minutes. The first half is a slog for both him and the viewer. The second half works much better. In smaller ways, the film makes the same mistake as well. Whether it's kids filming basketball or just Sandler traveling, every montage in the film is at least a little too long and sidelines the more heartwarming moments that do deserve that time.
Supporting roles from Ben Foster (Hell Or High Water) — unusually reserved but still stubborn as always — and Heidi Gardner (SNL) occasionally throw a wrench in Hustle. Trying to break the record for the longest consecutive montage doesn’t help, either, but none of that matters. Hustle succeeds in being exactly the movie it sets out to be: A glimpse inside what it takes to get into, and stay in, the very competitive NBA.
Hustle is streaming on Netflix as of June 8. The film is 117 minutes long and is rated R for language.