The sports movie is a surefire way to grab and hold an audience; take an underdog story and add unmatched athleticism, and you’ll wind up with something safe and satisfying that most audiences will have a great time with. Jeremiah Zagar’s 2022 feature “Hustle,” starring Adam Sandler and Juancho Hernangomez, is no exception to this rule, providing viewers with a heartfelt and impressive film, if from the free-throw line.
The story, like most sports dramas, is simple, but it works regardless. Sandler, playing fictional 76ers talent scout Stanley Sugarman, trains an unknown but wildly talented amateur player Bo Cruz (Hernangomez) all the way to the NBA, with the pair growing closer in the process. Add in some surface-level trauma for them to bond over, and you’ve got an easy lay-up made only that much more satisfying by Sandler’s performance.
Sandler’s Everyman charm combined with NBA power forward Hernangomez’s skill with the ball is what carries this movie. The rest of the performances range from impressive attempts by professional NBA players to the phoned-in efforts of typically better actors.
This isn’t to speak for all of the NBA actors and cameos — there are certainly those whose sheer woodenness completely drew me out of the story, such as Dirk Nowitzki. However, for the most part, the players prove themselves to be talented and more than up to the task.
Perhaps audiences more engaged in the professional basketball world will find more satisfaction in these moments — however, a cameo is still just a cameo and brings little value beyond recognition to a movie.
Though the performances are important, equally as crucial in a sports drama is how the sport is conveyed. In Zak Mulligan’s cinematography, the basketball is fast, percussive and violent. There’s nothing inventive happening here, and there doesn’t need to be. It’s simple but engaging and fantastic to watch, even for people not typically engaged by basketball.
Still, though the editing highlights this aspect of the game, it also leaves a lot to be desired. A few scenes, particularly early in the movie, felt like they were treading water, ending right where they should’ve started. Though this could be a scripting issue, the abrupt editing makes these moments all the more apparent.
Though the movie is primarily a drama, the script also attempts to deliver some laughs — unfortunately, this is an airball. There are only so many times an average-sized Adam Sandler can call himself fat before it becomes predictable and banal.
However, part of what makes the script work is this predictability. When the training montage began, and many frankly better movies are brought to mind, I still found myself swept up in the emotion of the scene. When Cruz hits his goal and Sandler clicks the stopwatch, I was as elated as the characters themselves. This may be a simple moviegoing experience, but it doesn’t make the feelings it generates any less valuable.
Altogether, this movie is an enjoyable watch for basketball fans and moviegoers alike. Come next year, I’m not sure if I’ll even remember watching this. But if you’re looking for a fun film to watch with friends and family over Labor Day weekend, this movie is a slam dunk.
Spenser Willden is the culture editor at the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @spenserwillden
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