Hustlers

'Hustlers' is based on real events that journalist Jessica Pressler recorded in the in the viral New York Magazine article "The Hustlers at Scores". A young woman who goes by the stage name of Destiny (Constance Wu) begins working as a stripper in New York to make ends meet and support her elderly grandmother (Wai Ching Ho). Though Destiny isn't particularly enthusiastic about her profession at first, the performances of Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) and Diamond (Cardi B) convince her that stripping is not only a powerful form of performance, but also one that can reap huge financial rewards. When the 2008 recession hits, the Wall Street employees can't afford to spend such big money on strip joints, causing many of the strippers, including Destiny, to fall on hard times. Ramona comes up with the solution to their financial woes: they can concoct a dangerous cocktail of MDMA, ketamine and whatever drink a client is having before taking him to the strip club and maxing out his credit cards. Constance is quickly sucked in by the combined promise of power and profit, but how long will it be before the police are on their tails and internal tensions within the group threaten to tear the sisterhood apart?

'Hustlers' is directed and written by Lorene Scafaria.