Hustlers Gets Glowing First Reviews: Jennifer Lopez 'Will Be Nominated for an Oscar'
Jennifer Lopez appears to have hit it out of the park with her critically acclaimed stripper drama Hustlers.
The film, co-starring Constance Wu, Julia Stiles, Lizzo and Cardi B, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, where Lopez was joined by her fiancé Alex Rodriguez.
In Hustlers, Lopez stars as Ramona, the head of a popular and successful strip club who aims to get the upper hand on her Wall Street clients with the help of her crew, which includes Wu’s Destiny.
In a tweet following the premiere, Vulture‘s Hunter Harris praised the film as “perfect” while predicting that Lopez will be nominated for her first Oscar for her performance.
the other thing about hustlers is that jlo will be nominated for an oscar
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) September 8, 2019
“J Lo can’t and won’t be stopped,” said Variety‘s Matt Donnelly, who also called the film “empowering.”
#Hustlers is empowering, dark, sad, funny, sexy and so much effing fun. J Lo can’t and won’t be stopped. Most impressed with writer-director Lorene Scafaria.
— Matt Donnelly (@MattDonnelly) September 8, 2019
Over at The Daily Beast, Kevin Fallon went so far as to say “I don’t think it’s too much to say that Jennifer Lopez may have one of the best film entrances ever” in Hustlers.
I know Twitter is prone to hyperbole, but I don’t think it’s too much to say that Jennifer Lopez may have one of the best film entrances ever in #Hustlers. And she 100 percent should get an Oscar nod. https://t.co/tMA9sGVP9y
— Kevin Fallon (@kpfallon) September 8, 2019
Keep It podcaster and writer Ira Madison III added that Cardi is a “natural talent” in the film, and raved about the importance of having a female director like Lorene Scafaria behind the camera.
#HUSTLERS was a JOY. Jennifer Lopez is a BEAST. Cardi is a natural talent. Seeing a movie like this with a woman (Lorene Scafaria) behind the camera gave it such a different energy than you traditionally get in a genre men like Soderbergh and Scorsese have made their own.
— Ira thee Third (@ira) September 8, 2019
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In a recent interview with ES Magazine, Lopez said that stripping in Hustlers was a “brand-new feeling.”
“I’m used to being on stage in sexy costumes, but I have three layers of tights and fishnets and a bodysuit,” she said. “It was a brand-new feeling to come out practically naked, in front of all those men — 300 extras hooting and hollering — and dance for money.”
“There’s something liberating and empowering about it,” Lopez added, “but you’re really out there, physically, emotionally and psychologically.”
RELATED: Jennifer Lopez Says Stripping in Hustlers Was a ‘Brand-New Feeling’: You’re ‘Practically Naked’
The film was inspired by a true story detailed in a New York Magazine article titled “The Hustlers at Scores,” which was first published in December 2015.
Hustlers hits theaters Sept. 13.
