The latest Netflix film Hustle brings its audience a heartfelt and inspirational story of family, sacrifice, obsession, and basketball. With a cast that is a true who-is-who of the basketball world, Hustle checks off many boxes for hardcore fans of the game and casual viewers alike. 

Adam Sandler is Stanley Sugarman, a talent scout for the Philadelphia 76ers who travels the world, devouring junk food in search of the next big prodigy who can break into the NBA. For basketball followers, that’s nothing new, as this is the origin story for many European and other international stars in the States. Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), and Joel Embiid (Cameroon) are just some of the big names that are currently active in the NBA. Accidentally finding Bo Cruz, portrayed by real-life Spanish NBA player for the Boston Celtics Juancho Hernangomez, ignites a new spark in the travel-worn talent scout. Watching Bo’s defensive skills inspires Sandler to repeatedly call him out during the film as if “Scotty Pippen and a wolf had a baby.” Together they embark on a journey of obsession, fatherhood, paying for old mistakes, and finally, redemption. 

The film is produced by not one but two American monarchs, the king of hoops LeBron James, and the king of comedy Adam Sandler. Hiring director Jeremiah Zagar was possibly one of their smartest moves as he runs the fine line between family drama and sports flick without much originality but with a lot of heart. Sandler’s passion for this sport is palpable in every coaching scene with Spanish NBA player Juancho Hernangómez. Adam Sandler is on a redemption journey to prove to the world — and maybe to himself — that he is capable of making good movies. In recent memory, we have seen the New Yorker in some real acting gems such as The Meyerowitz Stories (2017), Spanglish (2004), Uncut Gems (2019), and the freshly released Hustle. The film also serves as the acting debut of Hernangómez, as Bo Cruz, whose skills shine better on the court than outside. Speaking of on-court talent, a total of 25 NBA cameos can be enjoyed during the film, on top of head coaches, renowned street ballers, and others. 

Rating: 3.5/5

Hustle may lack originality in its plot as it uses the same cliché formula of earnest fatherhood in the world of sports (Southpaw, Creed, Bruised, etc.) yet the director manages to bring it all together with the help of a subtle but ardent Adam Sandler. The film will surely strike a chord with anybody who made it to the professional stage or was ever close to making it in their sport but will also please casual viewers of the game. Lastly, the film could have benefitted from a little less editing during the actual basketball games. If you have 25 genuine basketball geniuses on camera, just let them do the magic.