Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
    Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 But Why Tho 10

    Spider-Man Is Coming To Magic And It’s Just Like The Comics

    08/29/2025
    Star Wars Visions Volume 3 Black

    ‘Black’ Sets The Tone For A Bold New Mixtape In ‘Star Wars Visions: Volume 3’

    08/28/2025
    Olivia Colman in The Roses

    ‘The Roses’ Is A Reimagining, Not A Remake, And That’s Why It Works So Well

    08/27/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » REVIEW: ‘Hustle’ Is Passionate but Bland

REVIEW: ‘Hustle’ Is Passionate but Bland

William TuckerBy William Tucker06/09/20224 Mins Read
Hustle
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Hustle

Hustle is a sports drama/comedy exclusively on Netflix directed by Jeremiah Zagar, written by Will Fetters and Taylor Materne, and produced by Adam Sandler and LeBron James. The film stars Sandler, Ben Foster, Queen Latifah, Juancho Hernangómez and Robert Duvall.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Sandler plays Stanley Sugarman, a scout for the 76ers searching for the next big star. Demoted following the team owner’s death, Stanley travels to Spain and finds Bo Cruz, a construction worker who hustles basketball for money. Stanley brings Cruz back to Philadelphia, determined to get him into the NBA.

As a plot, much of it is quite standard for this kind of story, just with basketball as the framework and the soul. However, the story takes a long time to reach its stride, and the overall runtime feels too long. The tone of the whole story is hopeful and positive, even when things go wrong. Unfortunately, many of the beats Hustle hits are so cliche that the story feels like the career mode of a sports game, like Fifa or Madden. It is sentimental and heartfelt, but the different aspects can get too predictable. 

At the forefront of this movie is Sandler, who brings a really good performance for much of the movie. Stanley is intensely likable and friendly, warm to those around him. This isn’t new to Sandler’s characters, but the more dramatic nature of this movie means he isn’t as insufferable as in movies where he’s trying to be ridiculously funny. The other star of this movie is Hernangómez, who plays Cruz. Not only does his enormous frame make him an onscreen presence, but he is also really engaging as a character. Oddly, even though it’s his career that the story follows, he isn’t the main character. Like Sandler, he is very likable, and the chemistry between the two is among the best parts of the movie, 

Many of the characters truly fit the basketball genre. That is mostly because this cast is rife with ex or current basketball players portraying themselves or fictional figures. There are so many cameos and many that are more than that. They have pivotal and definitive roles in the movie, giving the piece a dose of realism. It provides the basketball scenes with vitality as many of the players are doing what they do best. 

What does let the performances down is the dialogue. In many instances, it is touching. The lines about the world of basketball are really clever and show the love the writers had for the sport. But an overabundance of cheesiness and cliches makes the dialogue so easy to foresee. In many ways, the physical acting is much better and fantastic. The moment when Stanley finds out about the death of the team’s owner could be the best part of the film because it is quiet and emotive.

When it comes to editing and cinematography, Hustle is rather generic. The training montages are good in terms of the transitions, alternating between day and night, and the shot choices are pretty. However, they’re just too long, a criticism that could be leveled at the movie in general. The soundtrack is a peculiar one. Zagar has utilised an album of hip hop and rap songs. But when these songs aren’t being integrated into the scene, it is eerily quiet. There is no recognisable score, which can leave large parts of the film being soulless and uncomfortable.

Hustle features the passion of basketball but not much else. Seeing the familiar faces and the real-life teams on screen is fun, and the games shown are exciting. It is clearly made by people who adore the game. The performances by Sandler and the non-basketball actors are not groundbreaking but are warm and engaging. Some of the athletes involved provide some surprising deliveries. But all of this can be found in a next-gen sports game, including the mundane story. Some life is breathed into it by some twists, which are easy to see coming, and the chemistry between Sandler and Hernanógomez. I found myself smiling at most of their interactions but not amazed. And where it may be labeled as a love letter to basketball, it can also be seen as a promo for the MBA.

Hustle is available now on Netflix.

Hustle
  • 6/10
    Rating - 6/10
6/10

TL;DR

Hustle features the passion of basketball but not much else. Seeing the familiar faces and the real-life teams on screen is fun, and the games shown are exciting…But all of this can be found in a next-gen sports game, including the mundane story.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleBloober Team Unveils Their Latest Masterpiece: Layers of Fears
Next Article Star Wars Celebration 2022: Panel Representation Matters
William Tucker

William is a screenwriter with a love of comics and movies. Once referred to Wuthering Heights as "the one with the Rabbits."

Related Posts

Choi Gyu-ri, Shin Eun-Soo in Love Untangled
7.5

REVIEW: ‘Love Untangled’ Is Just Adorable

08/31/2025
Austin Butler in Caught Stealing
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Caught Stealing’ Marks An Exciting Pivot for Darren Aronofsky

08/27/2025
Margaret Qualley stars as Honey O' Donahue in the film Honey Don't
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Honey Don’t!’ Is A Genius Work Of Subversion And Fantasy Fulfillment

08/25/2025
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Roses But Why Tho
5.0

 REVIEW: ‘The Roses’ Lacks A Thorny Edge

08/25/2025
Mert Ramazan Demir in Abandoned Man
6.5

REVIEW: ‘Abandoned Man’ Lacks Depth In Its Take On Betrayal

08/22/2025
Ne Zha 2 promotional still from a24
10.0

REVIEW: ‘Ne Zha 2’ Is One Of The Most Epic Feats Of Animation

08/21/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Cosmic Spider-Man card details Features

[EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

By Kate Sánchez09/02/2025Updated:09/02/2025

An exclusive look at a new 5-Color Spider entering Magic: The Gathering’s Spider-Man set, and Cosmic Spider-Man is going to be a tough one to take on.

Hololive EN at Radio City Music Hall Events

Hololive EN At Radio City Music Hall Was A Pure Expression Of Fandom

By Adrian Ruiz08/31/2025Updated:09/03/2025

Hololive EN turned Radio City in New York City into the pure expression of fandom: chants, penlights, and community in perfect sync.

Karl Anthony Towns in NBA 2k26 But Why Tho
8.5
PS5

REVIEW: ‘NBA 2K26’ Brings Basketball To Life

By Kyle Foley09/03/2025

NBA 2K26 combines improved visuals with some important tweaks to keep the series feeling fresh in the latest yearly release.

Cronos: The New Dawn Nest
8.0
PC

REVIEW: ‘Cronos: The New Dawn’ Does Post-Apocalyptic Psychological Horror Right

By Mick Abrahamson09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

While not particularly sacry, Cronos: The New Dawn is a lot of fun as a survival horror that puts you in the futuristic armor of the Traveler.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here