Based on trailers alone, it does not take much to gather that the movie “Hustlers” is more than a gratuitous movie about stripping, dancing for money and romanticized glitz and glamour of the underground sex work with an all-star cast.

In the film, a crew of strippers (Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Keke Palmer, and Lili Reinhart) take matters into their own hands and embezzle money from stock traders and Wall Street bigwigs. In turn they take the traditional male-oriented Robin Hood narrative and make it about women who hustle harder to even out the playing field of life.

On a surface level, it is an empowering movie for women and to a certain extent, the LGBTQ community, but it also sheds light on what life has been like for women in the sex industry in the past two decades.

It is wonderful to see Lopez and Wu step out of their normal roles on television and movies and take on jaded, nitty-gritty women in their characters, Ramona and Destiny, respectively, who are filled with raw emotions and bitter but witty quips and monologues.

Of course, a special nod must be given to Cardi B (Diamond) and Lizzo (Liz) in guest roles.. Though their time on screen was brief, they provided more than just star power, which this movie has plenty, but also characters who added fun and flavor to an already fabulously diverse cast.

The film boasts a creatively curated soundtrack filled with sexy trap remixes and throwback hip-hop and rhythm and blues jams from this century for the glitz and glamour. Laced with classical piano music to capture the movie’s most poignant moments, during which it proves difficult to hold back a few tears.

Expectations for this movie included an empowering, feel-good, star-studded film – something to enjoy with friends and, yes, a persuasive factor to join that pole class. Upon watching, it was something truly enjoyable and surprising.

While accuracy was questionable and there were technical plot holes for which the performances and story make up, this movie deserves five poles out of five poles – a definite must see.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐