The Hustle Makes No Effort to Convince You It’s Humorous

Unpacking the Disappointment of *The Hustle*

Chris Addison’s *The Hustle* is a masterclass in how to turn potential into pain. This film attempts to charm its viewers with an upbeat soundtrack and a picturesque French Riviera backdrop, but soon reveals itself as little more than an elaborate ruse—a charade that not even the most gullible of audiences could fall for. It’s a botched gender-swapped take on Frank Oz’s 1988 classic, *Dirty Rotten Scoundrels*, drowning under the weight of a script so lifeless, it should be examining its options for last rites. Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway are left spinning their wheels, cranking their quirks up to an exasperating level, as if that might somehow breathe life into their roles.

From the get-go, we see Hathaway’s character, Josephine Chesterfield, in the midst of what is presumably a con on a wealthy Danish businessman—because who wouldn’t want a partner from an exotic land known for their pastries? When he mentions his nationality, she responds, “Danish? Like the pastry?” It’s a refreshing reminder that the filmmakers are, at the very least, aiming low. This comedy mournfully leans into stereotypes rather than flipping them, with Wilson’s Penny Rust being a cavalcade of lazy fat jokes and pratfalls, while Hathaway’s high-society act makes her earlier roles look like the ultimate expression of restraint. Who knew upper-crust could sound like a refined version of screeching?

It’s as if the spirit of inexplicability guides this production, with Hathaway’s vague imitation of a British accent and her amusingly ridiculous German-tinged persona. Meanwhile, Wilson delivers improvisations that could only be described as “unique”—if you’re the type who finds air-humping and sentences trailed off into oblivion hilarious. The actresses do swing for the fences; it’s just too bad that they miss more than they connect. The end result is a comic collision, much like watching two cars trying to navigate the same intersection with no stop signs.

In the knowing spirit of girl power, Josephine dishes out wisdom to Penny, declaring that women are far superior con artists simply because “no man will ever believe a woman is smarter than him.” Bravo! Such poignant insight—and surely a monumental step toward gender equality. Or is it? If you’re familiar with *Dirty Rotten Scoundrels*, you’d know this wonderful proclamation will be blissfully ignored once the dashing Thomas Westerburg enters the picture, rendered irrelevant by the very narrative the film tries to champion. Identity politics has never been so brilliantly mismanaged.

Starring the Dilemma

The cast may include the likes of Tim Blake Nelson and Alex Sharp, but it’s hard to tell whether they’re acting or merely participating in a high-stakes game of ‘who can keep a straight face.’ Their performances exist in a realm where overacting is considered an art form, and subtlety took an extended vacation. With such a star-studded lineup, one might expect fireworks, but alas, what ensues is more like a series of damp squibs, leaving audiences to contemplate who to blame for the lackluster explosion.

Running a brisk 94 minutes—although it feels laboriously longer—the film manages the feat of being both tedious and frantic. It seems desperately fearful of any moment of silence, as if that might reveal too much of the underlying mediocrity. Could the relentless pacing compensate for the lack of clever writing? Spoiler: it doesn’t.

Alas, *The Hustle* embodies that classic adage: “If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with—well, a lot of noise and predictable punchlines.” It struts like it has something vital to say about gender dynamics in the world of con artistry, yet somehow forgets to say anything at all besides “look over there!” and “funny faces!”