‘Hustle’ movie review: Adam Sandler takes the NBA sports drama side-by-side

There is a pop-culture notion that the mere presence of Adam Sandler can make a movie more appealing; netflix sports drama push There is also evidence of the same. Sandler looks to greatness as a basketball scout/coach, and it’s despite the brilliance and brilliance that goes into telling a story about the NBA, one of the most popular sporting events on the planet.

In push, Sandler is Stanley Sugarman, a former NBA player who currently works as a talent scout for the Philadelphia 76ers. Stanley’s aspiration to become the team’s assistant coach ends when his well-wisher and team owner Rex Merrick (Robert Duvall) dies, and the latter’s cocky, short-sighted son Vince (Ben Foster) takes over.

Vince sends Stanley back on the road and promises to coach him if he sees someone extraordinary. That talent takes place in Spain as Bo Cruz (played by real-life NBA player Juancho Hernángómez), a 22-year-old construction worker, a single father and a devoted son, who plays basketball for the ‘Hustle’. Pennies. Stanley manages to persuade Bow to take a shot at the NBA; However, when obstacles arise, the basket continues to move further and further away from the coach and prodigy.

Blame the familiar, simple setting of pushBut some moments remind others in this style like Karate Kid, Never Back Downeither cult, Still, screenwriters Taylor Matern and Will Fetters make sure a few new touches keep our hopes up. For example, although the regular ‘injured player becomes coach’ sports drama motif is followed, the backstory is withheld for a long time. Even the payoff moment doesn’t come across as exposition and instead adds value to the scene and Bo’s character arc. Similarly, an over-detailed training montage, which seems tolerable only because of the music, camera movements, and quick cuts, ends with Philadelphia’s homage to its cinema icon Rocky Balboa’s famous step climb.

In his run of two hours, pushThe champion crutch of the beautiful coach-and-trainee relationship is portrayed with broad strokes. While Stanley tries to make Bo believe in him, Bo struggles to believe in himself and the life he is promised. As much as these two characters need each other to succeed for their mutual benefit, they sympathize with each other’s struggles and find greater meaning in each other’s lives. Such emotional arcs, when carefully written, reveal other momentary flaws in the narrative.

Not surprisingly, given Sandler’s presence, the humor works wonders in this kind of grounded film, especially because of how organically he’s brought up. Whether it’s going on about Bo’s room service or Stanley’s daughter Alex (Jordan Hull) having a potential crush on Bo, nothing changes the biological progression of events. The author also manages not to walk too fast on the line of sensitivity. The room service gag might just become another example of writers using one’s ignorance or the condescension of another to laugh at a rags-to-riches story. However, the film doesn’t stick to these much and gives it more twist in character.

The character writing, as impressive as it is, is also disappointing because Bo’s backstory doesn’t get enough importance. pushThe solitary reliance on its cinematography, editing, music and good performances to make an even better impression becomes too obvious as it never manages to break out of the clichés of the writing. Its brief moments of novelty can only provide so much relief. However, for NBA fans, the frequent surprises in the form of cameos by NBA stars should be noted. And as far as Sandler is concerned… that’s another four-pointer.

Hustle is currently streaming on Netflix