Hustle: Release Date, Cast, And More
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Inside of Adam Sandler there are two wolves. One of them stars in and/or produces crass comedies for the Happy Madison banner, all of which have gone directly to Netflix since 2015 thanks to his deal with the streamer. The other makes critically acclaimed films with directors like P.T. Anderson and the Safdie brothers, or works on more dramatic projects along the lines of "Spanglish," "Reign Over Me," and "Funny People." It seems that wolf is behind the Sandman's latest Netflix movie, "Hustle," a sports flick that, by the look of it, has more in common with a film like "Creed" than "Home Team."
Where A24 gave Sandler's last theatrical movie, "Uncut Gems," a late-year release in 2019 to maximize its awards season chances, Netflix is debuting "Hustle" in the middle of 2022. But just because the streaming service doesn't clearly see the film as a means for snagging the Sandman an Oscar, there are plenty of other reasons to keep it on your radar. Mostly of all, it looks and sounds like a perfectly decent, adult sports drama (see that R-rating, for the little value ratings still have).
Hustle release date and where you can watch it
"Hustle" was featured in Netflix's official 2022 movie video preview, so it's not like the streamer is trying to hide it. On the contrary, it's one of the company's highest-profile titles of the year, what with Sandler's movies having done consistently strong viewership for the service (or so it claims — it's best to take all Netflix's claims about data with a grain of salt). That it's arriving at a time when Netflix could really use some positive buzz to counter the headlines about its ongoing business woes, well, that's just lucky timing on its part.
Sandler's latest is now set to begin streaming on Netflix on June 8, 2022, which is two days earlier than the original release date the streamer announced back in February. The mid-budget, actor-driven feature should make for excellent counter-programming to that week's big theatrical premiere, "Jurassic World Dominion," for anyone who's more in the mood for a new movie about Sandler and basketball than another adventure with Chris Pratt and Blue the velociraptor. (Obviously, you can watch both, if you're so inclined.)
What is Hustle about?
The official synopsis for "Hustle" reads:
After discovering a once-in-a-lifetime player with a rocky past abroad, a down on his luck basketball scout (Adam Sandler) takes it upon himself to bring the phenom to the States without his team's approval. Against the odds, they have one final shot to prove they have what it takes to make it in the NBA.
So, yeah, plot-wise, "Hustle" reads as a pretty by-the-book sports drama that hits most of the expected beats. But as the "Creed" films have proven, traditional sports movies can still work as well as any other type of genre fare. It all depends on how the formula is executed, especially when it comes to the flourishes its cast and crew bring to the table to keep things fresh. Plus, sports flicks are a lot like rom-coms in that they've evolved and changed over the years, allowing them to survive at a time when few traditional ones are being made anymore. One only hopes that trend continues with "Hustle."
Hustle director, writers, and more
Calling the shots on "Hustle" is Jeremiah Zagar, a longtime documentarian who earned strong reviews from critics for his narrative feature directorial debut, the coming-of-age drama "We the Animals," in 2018. The film also packs some real firepower in terms of its writers, with Taylor Materne (a documentary producer turned first-time scribe) having penned its script with Will Fetters, the Oscar-nominated co-writer of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's "A Star Is Born" remake.
Among the other key crew members are director of photography Zak Mulligan ("The Outsider"), costume designer Johnetta Boone ("Yellowstone"), and composer Dan Deacon ("Ascension"), most of whom have a background in documentary filmmaking similar to Zagar's. That's also been evident in the "Hustle" trailer footage, giving the movie what appears to be a stylishly unpolished aesthetic. It's not quite as bold as Steven Soderbergh shooting his own sports drama, "High-Flying Bird," on an iPhone, but it's a good way of bringing some extra visual grit to a grounded story that welcomes it.
Hustle cast
Adam Sandler stars in "Hustle" with Queen Latifah ("The Equalizer"), Ben Foster ("Hell or High Water"), Raúl Castillo ("Army of the Dead"), Maria Botto ("Good Behavior"), Heidi Gardner ("Saturday Night Live"), acting legend Robert Duvall ("The Godfather"), and Jordan Elizabeth Hull ("The L Word: Generation Q"). Real-life NBA player Juancho Hernangómez also stars, as does retired NBA player and "Inside the NBA" co-host Kenny Smith.
All in all, Sander has surrounded himself here with a sturdy cast of seasoned veterans, up and comers, and people who actually do make their living with the NBA in some way. I wouldn't count on "Hustle" breaking the mold for basketball dramas the way, say, Spike Lee did when he made "He Got Game," but that doesn't seem to be the goal anyway. I'm just glad Sandler is once again feeding the wolf that's been trying harder lately to service his audience that doesn't care much for his far-flung broad comedies.
Hustle trailer and synopsis
After discovering a once-in-a-lifetime player with a rocky past abroad, a down on his luck basketball scout (Adam Sandler) takes it upon himself to bring the phenom to the States without his team's approval. Against the odds, they have one final shot to prove they have what it takes to make it in the NBA.