Review of The Hustler (1961) by Josh M — 08 Oct 2009

The closest thing I can compare The Hustler to is last year's The Wrestler, a film about a man so obsessed with what he did that he lost track of who he was - if there ever was a boundary there to begin with.

Rather than breaking down the line between performance and self, though, The Hustler focuses on the thrill of doing something great, and the way that the whole rest of your life can seem insignificant next to that.

In another way, though, The Hustler is indeed an old-fashioned morality tale, as one review I read pointed out, except that the morality is filled with shades of gray. There's no doubt that George C.

Scott (excellent, as always) represents the voice of darkness, but the appeal here is far more insidious and selfish than simple greed. It's about winning, and the exhilaration of breaking someone else and proving your superiority.

The fact that The Hustler goes to such dark places all while never feeling like its sermonizing is a testament to its greatness. Every major performance is a knockout; Newman and Scott are superb, but when are they not? But Jackie Gleason brings a smooth minimalism to his Minnesota Fats, and Piper Laurie is riveting as a broken woman who finds herself involved with Newman.

The Hustler is a masterpiece from opening to close, and if you're worried about watching a long movie about pool, don't be; it's less about the sport than about the obsession.