Hustlers #2

The movie Hustlers was released in 2019 and is inspired on a true story. It follows the two ladies who used to be strippers and start to form a gang with their former colleagues so as to swindle rich men some years after the Lehman shock.

In February 2020, I watched it for the first time at a Toho Cinemas Kinshicho, however, I kind of had difficulties in watching it because my seat was very close to the big screen, though I could fully enjoy myself only at the stage performance of Jennifer Lopez as a stripper toward the beginning. That was overwhelmingly amazing. I was so captivated by her provocative performance that I followed only her when she was on the screen. Then, after watching it, I kind of regretted that I had not paid close attention to another main character, Destiny, so much.

In May, I watched the movie The Big Short on DVD. It describes the confusion over the United States subprime mortgage crisis causing the Lehman shock. It was wonderful and reminded me Hustlers, then I decided to watch the crime drama film again. Most of the theaters in Japan were closed in March due to the novel coronavirus pandemic but they gradually have reopened since June because the pandemic has started to settle, so I luckily could watch it at a theater again.

In June, I went to Cinema Ikspiari, a cinema multiplex, which is located near the Tokyo Disneyland, and easily could take a seat in the back, my usual and favorite position, because the viewers were just a pair of girls and me. I had looked forward to watching the voluptuous J.Lo as a strip dancer again but I could not get fascinated by the stage so much, unlike the last time, maybe because it was second time from the distant seat and because I was very tired after work the previous time. Anyway, I tried to enjoy the whole story and watch another lead closely.

Constance Wu gave a great performance as Destiny who dedicates herself to her grandmother and daughter. The Asian beauty was charming and attractive, moreover, her acting almost made me cry toward the end. On the other hand, the Latin beauty gave a wonderful performance as Ramona, a bitch, after all. I do not know why she was not even nominated to the Academy Award.

As for the crimes they committed, I wrote this in the first preview. "The former strippers lived desperately in their own way and as a result they deviated from social norms. I cannot approve of what they did but I do not want to criticize them." Now, I want to rewrite it like this. Let's make honest money because life is tough for anybody, though it might be difficult for people who have lead extravagant lives.