Hustlers

Filmmaker Lorene Scafaria’s flesh and feminism chronicle about sex workers in a Manhattan strip club was inspired by a 2015 New York magazine article by Jessica Pressler. Here, the women’s story is revealed by Destiny (Constance Wu) to a journalist (Julia Stiles). Raised by her grandmother in Queens, Destiny has a GED and no discernable skills. While doing lap dances, she’s dazzled by Ramona (Jennifer Lopez), who takes Destiny on as her protégé—enveloping her in a luxurious fur coat one wintry night. First, Destiny must learn pole dancing, which Ramona demonstrates with stamina and skill. But then comes the 2008 stock market crash, making Wall Street spenders more difficult to fleece. So Ramona and Destiny recruit Annabelle (Lili Reinhart) and Mercedes (Keke Palmer) to seduce gullible hardy-partying guys into the strip club where they slip knockout drops into their drinks, empty their wallets, and max out their credit cards. Rather than cast moral judgment, Scafaria celebrates female empowerment, relishing their solidarity and loyalty to one another. Ultimately, the NYPD will catch on to their con. Also featuring former Bronx stripper Cardi B, Lizzo, and Usher, this spiky tale of a stripper scam is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Lorene Scafaria. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for this true-life-inspired drama.] (S. Granger)