THE HUSTLE (PG-13)
Released By MGM
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! This is a saying that has eluded Hollywood for years and it eludes tinsel town yet again in the form of this gender-swapped reboot of the Michael Caine/Steve Martin-headlined 80s gem, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS. But while that wonderful Frank Oz-directed movie was a genuinely funny, playfully mean-spirited comedy with outstanding character work, this updating is a boring, labored, and mostly unfunny retread that puts more of an emphasis on political grandstanding than simply setting out to make us laugh.
In THE HUSTLE, scheming con-women Josephine (Anne Hathaway) and Penny (Rebel Wilson) bet one another that they can con a clueless techie billionaire (Alex Sharp) out of a large chunk of change while he’s vacationing in Europe. Hijinx ensues as these overly confident scam artists not only try to rip off a sweet-natured individual with a heart of gold but attempt to constantly one-up each other in the process.
Making THE HUSTLE all the more disheartening is the fashion in which it squanders the comical potential of its more than capable leading ladies. Wilson, whose pratfalls here would probably make the likes of Chris Farley proud, proved to be quite the scene-stealer in the PITCH PERFECT movies and she was even more appealing in the light by affectionate rom-com parody, ISN’T IT ROMANTIC? Sadly, in THE HUSTLE she’s asked to play a shrill, obnoxious woman who, ironically, only truly comes alive when she’s asked to share screen time with Sharp.
When alongside an affable Sharp, Wilson shows warmth and likability that this movie certainly could have used more of. True, this is a film about scam artists. It isn’t exactly designed to be cute, but THE HUSTLE is often so broad, so off-putting, and so labored in its comical approach that it simply isn’t very fun to watch. And with her dull British accent and condescending demeanor, Hathaway doesn’t do much to elevate the proceedings.
For all the moments that Caine and Martin were at odds with one another in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, there was genuine chemistry. The chemistry that Wilson and Hathaway can barely muster. Of course, the things that don’t work in THE HUSTLE can’t be put squarely on the shoulders of Wilson and Hathaway because these often effective actresses aren’t exactly supported by the strongest script or direction. In short, THE HUSTLE is fairly lifeless. There simply isn’t much of a spark to speak of and the fact that this film follows virtually the same beats as DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, there aren’t really any surprises to speak of, either.
The only thing more irritating than THE HUSTLE itself were the obnoxious theater patrons we were tasked to sit next to during the screening. I could have handled their over-the-top howls of laughter. I even could have handled their rather loud suggestion that THE HUSTLE was the most brilliant comedy they had seen in a long time. What I couldn’t stand, however, was the fact that these rather talkie individuals felt compelled to sit right next to us even though the theater was half empty. And I mean right next to us!
Further still, these ignorant patrons appeared to have a field day hysterically and uncontrollably flailing their arms around and bumping into us in the process. Not to sound like a poor sport, but it’s patrons like these that have driven a lot of moviegoers to stay home and stream movies instead of going to the theater and that’s a bummer because I’m still a big-time proponent of the theatrical experience.
In the end, it may sound like this negative review is more the result of a bad movie-going experience than a fair critique of THE HUSTLE itself, but it really isn’t. The truth is, this film was rubbing me the wrong way well before the obnoxious patrons sitting next us decided to aid in making the experience of watching this weak remake even worse.
Yep! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Translation: Stay home and watch DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS instead!
