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Hustle Once Again Proves Adam Sandler Is Actually A Great Actor
Adam Sandler's performance in Hustle once again reminds audiences that he is a great actor, despite a filmography filled with bad movies. Despite bursting onto the scene in 1990 with Saturday Night Live and starring in several hit comedies throughout the '90s and '00s, Adam Sandler's career has taken a different path in recent years. He's gone almost all-in on a deal with Netflix to produce and star in comedies that often receive high viewership but terrible reviews. These career choices have repeatedly been questioned, as some have even wondered if the comedian's talent is still there.
Despite what his harshest critics might say, it is difficult to fault Sandler's career choices honestly. Thanks to streaming, he is as big of a star now as he was in the 1990s (if not bigger). However, that doesn't mean he is truly content just doing the same comedies set in exotic locals and starring his best friends. After mostly refraining from doing dramatic roles, Hustle is another example of Adam Sandler moving away from the silly family comedies he's become associated with as of late. The Netflix original 2022 movie puts him in the role of an NBA scout for the Philadelphia 76ers who discovers a generational international prospect. Thanks to Hustle, Adam Sandler reminds everyone what he is capable of once again.
Hustle is very different from the rest of Adam Sandler's Netflix movies, as he used his passion project about basketball to deliver another excellent dramatic performance. He is one of the main reasons why the film works as well as it does, as his lead performance elevates a sports movie that can be formulaic at times to a higher quality. Hustle director Jeremiah Zagar leans on Sandler for much of the movie's emotional weight, and he ultimately delivers. Whether it is scenes like him encouraging Bo Cruz (Juancho Hernangómez) to fight for his dreams or explaining what happened to Adam Sandler's hand, Hustle gives the star a lot of room to showcase his talents.
One of the keys to Adam Sandler's outstanding performance in Hustle is that the movie uses the full range of his abilities. The tone might be far more dramatic than some of his other Netflix movies, but Hustle retains plenty of comedic elements and moments. Sandler is allowed to still be funny as Stanley Sugerman, but he is also far more serious at times. It makes sense for the movie to take this approach, as it meant Adam Sandler could handle most of the film's more critical acting scenes, while Hustle's actual NBA players involved mostly stick to playing basketball.
Those who really look at Adam Sandler's career know that he is a great actor. The Wedding Singer gave an early look at his dramatic acting chops, while Uncut Gems in 2019 was a clear reminder of the type of powerhouse performance Sandler is capable of. His turn as Howard Ratner in the Safdie Brothers' movie brought awards buzz for Sandler, but he fell short of earning a much-deserved Oscar nomination. Hustle isn't exactly the type of performance that will generate similar conversations. It is a clear reminder that he is capable of more than his recent track record of making underwhelming comedies indicates.
