Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Hustle Blu-ray Movie Review

Hustling viewers from their hard-earned money.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 26, 2019

2019's The Hustle is a reworking of 1988's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (which was a remake of 1964's Bedtime Story). This film is neither funny nor memorable, a vapid gender-bending retelling that proves it doesn't matter who is in front of the camera (or behind it, for that matter) if a movie cannot identify a purpose, find a rhythm, or in this case differentiate itself in any meaningful way from its forebears.

Two professional con artists -- Penny Rust (Rebel Wilson) and Josephine Chesterfield (Anne Hathaway) -- on opposite ends of the spectrum are at the top of their respective games, one working small-time cons and the other dealing in higher stakes schemes. On a train in France, they meet and discover in one another formidable opponents and opposites despite sharing a “profession” of plotting and planning for personal profit. Josephine is a pro, known as “Medusa,” an internationally recognized con artist and a force to be reckoned with in the industry. Penny prefers to deal with smaller targets, but when the two become inexorably connected, Jo takes Penny under her wing and teaches her the ways of the big-score con. But can the two coexist in conning harmony or will their many differences interfere with the new partnership?

Laughs are few and joy is fleeting in The Hustle, a movie that didn’t have to be and offers no reason to be, and it shows. It’s a product wanting purpose, a film in search of an identity. The movie is little more than a string of scenes with loose connections that only serve to put the actors in new costumes and in new locations while desperately trying to find value in a failed vision that seems to strive only to play to any given scenario rather than build well defined characters and fruitfully explore their clashing personalities and approaches to the con. It’s instead just a collection of stale material that at least has the good sense to call itself something other than Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, because cinema doesn’t need any more contemporary insults to superior older films; what's on the screen here is enough to nail that down.

If there is an ever-so-slight silver lining it’s that the cast at least feigns enthusiasm fairly well, at least as much enthusiasm as the script allows. Hathaway plays her part well enough within the context and confines of a poorly written and hopelessly generic part, exploring her sophisticated side and looking down on Wilson’s sloppy, grungy Penny, a character that allows Wilson to do what she does best, acting the fool in the modern style thereof. Wilson bumbles and stumbles with little feel for true comedic timing, content to simply rely on crude physical gestures rather than work hard to milk the material for more than it’s worth. She certainly seems interested in the part but there’s a disheartening lack of range at play that only further bogs down an already sluggish script.

The Hustle Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Per IMDB, The Hustle was digitally photographed at a resolution of 2.8K and finished at 4K. Universal has chosen at this time not to release the film on the UHD format, but the Blu-ray is nevertheless perfectly capable of presenting the film with a vibrant, richly detailed, near perfect 1080p presentation. Details are exceptional. Close-up skin work reveals terrific intimacy to pores and makeup textures that bring every close-up to startlingly rich and complex life. Environments are sharp corner-to-corner and clothing is resplendently displayed throughout, whether ratty t-shirts or elegant dresses. Colors are vibrant and precise. Contrast is perfectly tuned and color depth and detail are perfect across a broad number of locations, diverse attire, and support elements like lipstick and hair. Black levels are strong and skin tones appear perfectly balanced. As with most digitally photographed productions, even high-end and high-yield presentations such as this, a sprinkling of noise appears throughout and notably in lower light conditions, but its intrusiveness is minimal. No additional source or encode flaws are evident. This is a gorgeous Blu-ray presentation from Universal; fans will be delighted.

The Hustle Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Hustle features a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. The track is active and energetic from the outset. Music and effects both are enjoyably vigorous, well spaced, and fully engaging presentations that take full advantage of the entire 7.1 configuration, consistently immersing the listener into the track's buoyant posturing and presentation. Music blasts with exceptional volume and clarity throughout, from score to low end-intense dance beats in chapter 14. The soundtrack's smaller, yet still critical, details -- a rumbly train heard from its interior in chapter three, a jet engine heard form inside the cabin in chapter five, light winds and rolling ocean waves in chapter six -- offer rewarding immersion by way of precision placement and detail. Support effects, such as various crashes when Penny is playing the part of a blind woman later in the film, present with perfect definition and proper placement within the listening landscape. Dialogue is clear and well prioritized, playing from a consistent front-center location.

The Hustle Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of The Hustle contains three featurettes and an audio commentary track. A DVD copy of the film and an iTunes digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• Hitting the Mark (1080p, 4:34): A look at why the gender switch enhances the film, adapting the classic story in other ways, and other assorted story and filmmaking details.
• Comedy Class (1080p, 5:50): In examination of the lead performances and the qualities the actors brought to the film.
• Con Artists (1080p, 6:31): A closer look at the larger cast and crew's contributions.
• Audio Commentary: Director Chris Addison explores the film in verbal detail: its tone, characters and performances, scene deconstruction, and much more.

The Hustle Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There is a scene early in The Hustle when Rebel Wilson's character disguises herself as a trash bag. Enough said. This is a flat, spiritless retelling of a story that two other films have far more than adequately covered in the decades prior. It is well cast but it is also poorly scripted, leaving both lead actors struggling to accomplish much more than throw on any of several accents and jump from costume to costume and scene to scene and hope for the best. It's not unwatchable, but it's entirely unmemorable and a great example of today's visionless cinema. Universal's Blu-ray does deliver top-tier video and audio presentations and a few extras, all of which make this package a worthwhile buy for fans.