Lucas

This blog post about LUCAS (1986) is the third of three posts that discuss unique movies about the sport of American football.

 

The romantic comedy and drama movie LUCAS stars Corey Haim as a precocious child named Lucas. Lucas appreciates nature and classical music. He is intelligent but prejudged by others because of his appearance. He is small in stature and on the surface unpretentious. Because of these qualities, aside from students in the school marching band, other teenagers do not socialize with him.

Maggie (Kerri Green) is new in town and meets Lucas during the summer break before school starts. Lucas introduces Maggie to bugs and classical music. Maggie introduces Lucas to tennis and gives him a ride in her convertible car. One-on-one these friends make a great pair, but Lucas desires more.

Eventually, Maggie meets other teenagers in the community, including Cappie (Charlie Sheen). Maggie develops feelings for Cappie, who Lucas calls “superficial,” and Cappie is attracted to Maggie, but has a cheerleader girlfriend named Alise (Courtney Thorne-Smith). When Cappie suggests Maggie become a cheerleader, Alise gets angry at him.

Lucas thinks cheerleading is as superficial as football. However, he puts energy into capturing Maggie and joins the school’s football team. He makes this decision based on observing Maggie’s admiration for football player Cappie. Ironically, Lucas focuses on football and Maggie, but does not notice his marching band classmate Rina (Winona Ryder) likes him.

The football coach (Guy Boyd) obviously does not want Lucas on the team, but Lucas shows up to practice in uniform quoting laws about how he is supposed to be given a fair opportunity. No one takes Lucas seriously and he ends up in Principal Kaiser’s (Garrett M. Brown) office, creating his own superficial circumstances by telling the principal his father is a lawyer. Truthfully, Lucas’ father is an alcoholic and he does not live in the affluent neighborhood he takes Maggie to during summer break. Rina already knows these aspects about Lucas’ life, but he does not spend time with her outside of band class. Instead he chooses to impress cheerleader Maggie whom he has no chance of romancing.

LUCAS is not just about football, but the sport does represent a fair portion of the story. In Lucas’ perspective football players and cheerleaders are superficial, yet he uses the sport to get what he wants. Unfortunately, Maggie never returns his affections, but his bravery in playing the sport, risking physical injuries garners him respect from his peers.

Wildcats

Several great films are made about American football. Even if one is not a football fan, the movies are enjoyable. My next three blog posts discuss unique movies about the sport of football.

 

Goldie Hawn plays Molly McGrath in the comedy WILDCATS (1986). McGrath is a girls’ track coach at the affluent Prescott High School. She desires a position as a football coach because her father was a well-known football coach. It is significant McGrath wants to coach football because no woman had ever done it before, not even at the high school level.

In real life Jen Welter was introduced as the first woman National Football League (NFL) coach in July 2015. Just this year Katie Sowers was the first female to coach in a Super Bowl. So far only 10 women coached professional football and three coached high school football.

WILDCATS is a unique movie about football because Molly McGrath is given the opportunity to coach football at Central High School in Chicago. Unfortunately, the position is given to her as a joke by the male football coach of Prescott High School, Dan Darwell (Bruce McGill). The job offer is solid, but Darwell has no faith McGrath can truly coach football. In addition, it is noted that no one else will take the position at Central High School because of where it is located. McGrath is a white woman who will be coaching football at a school where mostly students of color attend.

At first the boys on the Wildcats team at Central High School give McGrath a difficult time. She firmly tells them no one else will take the job so they are stuck with her. Over time, McGrath grows on the team and the team grows on McGrath; a mutual respect is cultivated.

WILDCATS presents the concept of a female football coach that is 29 years ahead of its time. It is a fun comedy that does not take itself seriously, even though the idea of a woman in McGrath’s position might have inspired many young girls watching the movie. The film may have also inspired videos that were produced by real life professional football teams. The end credits of WILDCATS features the Wildcats team and McGrath performing a rap: “It’s the sport of kings, better than Diamond Rings, That’s why we’re here to sing, football…”

The most popular video was by the Chicago Bears Shufflin’ Crew performing “The Super Bowl Shuffle.” Other NFL teams that made videos in the 1980’s were the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Raiders (“Silver and Back Attack”), the Seattle Seahawks (“Locker Room Rock”), the Dallas Cowboys (“Livin’ the American Dream”), the Philadelphia Eagles (“Buddy’s Watching You”), the Cleveland Browns (“Masters of the Gridiron”), the Miami Dolphins (“Can’t Touch US”), and the Los Angeles Rams (“Ram It”). WILDCATS probably got the idea from one of these teams. Whether the movie inspired real life or the real teams inspired the movie, the rap during the end credits of WILDCATS is very entertaining and keeps viewers engaged.

Summer School

This blog entry about the movie SUMMER SCHOOL (1987) is the fourth of four entries discussing movies about school, teachers, and education.

In the comedy film SUMMER SCHOOL Freddy Shoop (Mark Harmon) is a physical education (P.E.) teacher who must teach summer school when another teacher, Mr. Dearadorian (played by the film’s director Carl Reiner), at the fictional Oceanfront High School wins the lottery and quits at the last minute. Mr. Shoop is in the parking lot literally putting a suitcase in his car for a trip to Hawaii when Vice Principal Phil Gillis (Robin Thomas) approaches him about teaching remedial English for summer school. Amusingly his girlfriend, Kim (Amy Stock), goes to Hawaii without him instead of postponing the vacation until summer school ends.

SUMMER SCHOOL presents some serious issues in a humorous manner. On the first day of class it becomes apparent that the reluctant Mr. Shoop should not be teaching a group of underachieving students. They are easily distracted and one of the students is dyslexic. But reality sinks in when Vice Principal Gillis reminds Mr. Shoop he is up for tenure and can lose his job. Most jobs have a probation period. For teachers in California the probation period is two school years of satisfactory performance. On the first day of the third school year the teacher is tenured. It is difficult to fire a teacher who earns tenure.

Since Mr. Shoop is forced to teach, he realizes he does not know how to teach. He receives help from Robin Bishop (Kirstie Alley), a teacher who instructs an honors class. Today at many schools students can only attend summer school if they, like Mr. Shoop’s students, fail a course. This is due to budgetary reasons; however, in the 1980’s students were certainly able to attend summer school for enrichment.

The only way Mr. Shoop gets his students to study is by negotiating with them: Denise (Kelly Jo Minter) needs driving lessons so Mr. Shoop becomes her driving instructor. Rhonda (Shawnee Smith) is pregnant so Mr. Shoop becomes her Lamaze partner. Kevin (Patrick Labyorteaux) plays football so Mr. Shoop gives him lessons. Pam (Courtney Thorne-Smith) needs a place to live so Mr. Shoop lets her move in with him. Dave (Gary Riley) has a party at Mr. Shoop’s house with Mr. Shoop’s permission. Larry (Ken Olandt) sleeps in class so Mr. Shoop has a bed in the classroom. Chainsaw (Dean Cameron) gets to arrange a screening of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE in class.

Despite the wackiness, the students improve academically. SUMMER SCHOOL is a fun movie that serves as an escape because no school would allow much of what happens in the story. If you need to laugh SUMMER SCHOOL may be a good movie to put on your watchlist, even if you have seen it before.

The Breakfast Club

This blog entry about the movie THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985) is the third of four entries discussing movies about school, teachers, and education.

THE BREAKFAST CLUB is a comedy-drama film that showcases high school very well. The writer, producer, and director John Hughes chooses to focus on one non-school day with five students in a confined space: Saturday detention in the school library. The audience does not see regular school days and students sitting inside classrooms. Instead the focus is on how five students are affected by the high school experience.

The story takes place at fictional Shermer High School in Shermer, Illinois, which is supposed to be a suburb of Chicago. The suburban setting is apparent, as the cast is not racially diverse. It would be interesting to watch how the Saturday detention experience could differ in an urban setting or if Hughes had created one or two characters of color out of the five.

The five characters are Brian Johnson, the brain (Anthony Michael Hall); Allison Reynolds, the basket case (Ally Sheedy); John Bender, the criminal (Judd Nelson); Claire Standish, the princess (Molly Ringwald); and Andrew Clark, the athlete (Emilio Estevez). The character development is exemplary. Hughes does not stop at the stereotypes; he provides depth to each character.

The enduring themes of peer pressure and parent pressure are revealed as what the five characters have in common. On the surface they all seem so different, but it turns out teen angst does not discriminate. Today teenagers still struggle with these same concerns. Therefore, for many years teenagers will relate to THE BREAKFAST CLUB. They will even associate the displeasure of being disciplined by a school administrator like Assistant Principal Vernon (Paul Gleason) with their own experiences.

Consequently, the relatable themes are what make THE BREAKFAST CLUB the ultimate high school movie for its audience. Teenagers connect. School faculty and staff are made aware of what students are managing in addition to their studies and why they behave the way they do. Moreover, parents are given a realistic perspective of their teen’s life and admit to a keen understanding.

Teachers

This blog entry about the movie TEACHERS (1984) is the second of four entries discussing movies about school, teachers, and education.

TEACHERS is a comedy-drama film about John F. Kennedy High School, an urban school in Columbus, Ohio that is being sued by a recent graduate who claims he is unable to read or write, yet he received a diploma. JoBeth Williams plays Lisa Hammond, the lawyer in charge of taking depositions, and who also happens to be a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School. The film realistically displays the superintendent (Lee Grant) and school lawyer (Morgan Freeman) trying to avoid bad publicity from the lawsuit.

Nick Nolte plays Alex Jurel, a well-liked Social Studies teacher who serves as an example of teacher burn out. Alex, like most teachers, brings energy and optimism to the position. But after many years of working with unruly students and dealing with the demands of the administration, he becomes cynical. However, TEACHERS shows how a teacher like Jurel is able to reach students and how they trust him with personal issues they go through, such as when a student named Diane Warren (Laura Dern) becomes pregnant and confides in him. He also mentors a reticent student named Eddie Pilikian (Ralph Macchio).

John F. Kennedy High School has a few teachers who are peculiar characters. In one class students know to walk in, pick up a handout from the teacher’s desk, quietly go to their seats to complete the worksheets, and when the bell rings they get up, put the handout on the teacher’s desk and leave the classroom. During the entire class period, the teacher holds up a newspaper and falls asleep. Students sit with their backs to him and do not observe his slumber. One day unbeknown to everyone, the teacher dies. Even though he has expired, when the bell rings students get up, turn in the worksheets, and leave the classroom. A full day goes by before anyone notices the teacher is not sleeping, but dead. This scenario supports the point of the lawsuit the school is facing from the graduate who claims he attended the school but is illiterate. This teacher does not teach. Instead he gives students busy work.

On the other hand, Richard Mulligan plays Herbert Gower, a mental institution outpatient who wanders into someone’s home and answers the telephone. A school secretary mistakes him for a substitute teacher, so he goes to the school. He becomes students’ favorite U.S. History teacher because he dresses in period clothing and acts out historical scenes. It takes the school a while to realize he is not the correct substitute teacher. This is hilarious and, surprisingly, could probably happen.

The balance of comedy and drama in TEACHERS works well. The comedic situations help ease the audience for bearing with the serious lawsuit storyline. Overall, the film, which is set in the 1980’s, makes the valid point that schools should be reorganized. By the early 1990’s, state education standards were created in the United States, which provide teachers and schools with structured curricula guidelines. Now there are Common Core State Standards, which were launched in 2009.

Poms

POMS is a fun movie. It is nice watching a story written by screenwriters (Zara Hayes and Shane Atkinson) who clearly know their audience. And all the actors are perfectly cast.

If you want to laugh out loud and like the film BOOK CLUB, you will enjoy POMS. As an added bonus, Diane Keaton is also the star of POMS. She plays Martha, a woman who sells her business and moves into a retirement community like the real-life Sun City. Her intention is to live out her final days in peace, especially since she is ill and knows she is dying soon. Instead she forms unexpected bonds with neighbors who become friends and fulfills a life-long dream of being a cheerleader.

The cheerleading tryouts are hilarious. And scenes with the cheerleading squad are equally amusing. POMS is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is http://www.stxfilms.com/poms/.

Cold Pursuit

COLD PURSUIT is a unique dark comedy. It starts out as a serious drama and inserts several dramatic elements throughout the film, but it is certainly a comedy. The mood and humor of the story are artistic and Frank Baldwin's screenplay also showcases well written characters portrayed by an excellent cast.

COLD PURSUIT is a remake of the 2014 Norwegian film IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE. The film counts disappearing characters in a hilarious manner. Overall, the movie is fun and stars Liam Neeson, Tom Bateman, Tom Jackson, Emily Rossum, and Laura Dern.

I saw COLD PURSUIT at a theatre. Now it is available on DVD and Blu-Ray. The official Web site is https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/cold-pursuit.

Green Book

The Negro Motorist Green Book was an annual guidebook for African American road trippers. It was commonly referred to as Green Book. It was originated and published by Victor Hugo Green, a mailman in New York City, from 1936-1966. This was during the era of Jim Crow laws when open and legally prescribed discrimination against non-whites was widespread in the United States. The guide provided information about services and places (gas stations, motels, restaurants, etc.) relatively friendly to African Americans.

GREEN BOOK is a comedy-drama film about classical and jazz pianist Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) who hires a chauffeur, Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), for his concert tour of the Deep South. Tony is given a Green Book and studies which places he can take Dr. Shirley. The screenplay is written by Vallelonga's son Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, and the film's director Peter Farrelly.

At first glance, it is unique seeing a white Italian American driving a car with an African American in the backseat in 1962. There is even a scene where they stop, due to car trouble, in front of a farm where Black people are working in the fields. The workers are frozen and stare in amazement.

Overall, the writers' choice to make GREEN BOOK a comedy-drama offers an uncommon way to share a story about racism. As a result, the audience is able to get a sense of the time period and its troubles, but additionally focus on the unlikely friendship that develops between Dr. Shirley and Tony. The movie is inspired by the true story about the eventual, respectful relationship these men shared.

GREEN BOOK is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is https://www.universalpictures.com/movies/green-book.

Book Club

BOOK CLUB is a comedy film starring Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen. The four actresses work well together and it is fun watching them interact with their male suitors played by Craig T. Nelson, Andy Garcia, Don Johnson, and Richard Dreyfuss.

For many years the four ladies have been friends and meet as a book club. They are all successful and each has her unique personality. Their lives are shaken by the latest book choice, Fifty Shades of Grey. The women begin talking about things they had not discussed in a long time. As a result, they begin making extraordinary choices when it comes to romance.

According to Fonda's blog, BOOK CLUB did not have a distributor when it finished filming. Fortunately, Paramount Pictures provided distribution.

Romance films showing women over 50 years old are rare. Perhaps more screenwriters will create adventures for the demographic because they are still viable and attract an enthusiastic audience.

BOOK CLUB is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is http://www.bookclub.movie/.

Victoria & Abdul

VICTORIA & ABDUL showcases the unlikely real life relationship between Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her Indian Muslim servant Abdul Karim.  At the time, England also ruled India, making Queen Victoria Empress of India. The movie is based on the biography book Victoria & Abdul by Shrabani Basu. Judi Dench plays Queen Victoria and Ali Fazal plays Abdul. Both actors give outstanding performances.

The comedic parts of the film are in part because the British people who work for the queen do not understand much about Indian Muslim culture--they assume Abdul and his friend Mohammed (played by Adeel Akhtar) are Hindu and refer to them as "the Hindus"--or why the queen would keep Abdul as a servant beyond presenting the ceremonial coin. The queen rather enjoys Abdul's company and learns his language, culture, and religion. She embraces their differences.

THE YOUNG VICTORIA displays the early life of Queen Victoria, and now VICTORIA & ABDUL exhibits Queen Victoria's later years. She reigned for 63 years and seven months from 1837 until she died in 1901. The time was known as the Victorian era.

VICTORIA & ABDUL is currently playing in theatres.  The official Web site is http://www.focusfeatures.com/victoriaandabdul.

Beatriz at Dinner

Salma Hayek courageously takes on the role of Beatriz in the film BEATRIZ AT DINNER. Beatriz is a humble immigrant massage therapist whose car will not start when it is time to leave a client's home. Her affluent client Kathy, played by Connie Britton, graciously invites Beatriz to stay for dinner since she is waiting for a friend to finish work before he can fix her car. Kathy's husband Grant, played by David Warshofsky, initially disagrees because he is entertaining important business contacts at this particular dinner.

The central dinner guest is Doug Strutt, played by John Lithgow. Doug is a wealthy man who owns hotels and other businesses. As soon as he sees Beatriz, he assumes she is the hired help and asks for a refill of his drink. His second blunder is when he speculates that Beatriz illegally moved to the United States from Mexico. Furthermore, he arrogantly discusses his many investments, including a resort in Mexico. Beatriz presumes it is the resort that promised so many people she knew work, but never opened and left everyone destitute.

BEATRIZ AT DINNER is relevant because it shows social class perceptions. Depending on one's financial status, the business mogul's decisions are viewed either as good business that benefits people or bad business that exploits people. The movie sparks discussion and presents an ambiguous ending.

BEATRIZ AT DINNER is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is http://roadsideattractions.com/filmography/beatriz-at-dinner/.

The Hero

In THE HERO Sam Elliott plays Lee Hayden, an aging actor of western films.  Many of us remember Sam Elliott as the star of western films, which is why this role is just right for him. As movie stars get older, they fade away or work less and are missed. THE HERO shows a possible scenario of what those actors may be doing now.

Lee hangs out with his former co-star Jeremy, played by Nick Offerman, which is how he meets Charlotte, played by Laura Prepon. Lee becomes romantically involved with Charlotte, who is much younger. Meanwhile, he visits his estranged ex-wife Valarie played by Elliott's real life wife, Katharine Ross, to update her on his medical condition. In addition, Lee's relationship with his daughter Lucy, played by Krysten Ritter, is strained from his being away so much when he was a successful working actor. Because of his plight, it is important to Lee that he makes everything right in his relationships and clinches a role that puts him back into the spotlight, leaving a positive impression on the public. He sees that as going out with dignity.

Sam Elliott is an exceptional actor. It seems he is underrated when deserving of much praise. It would be nice seeing him starring in even more feature films. Fortunately, screenwriters Marc Basch and Brett Haley wrote a fitting role for him.

THE HERO is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is http://thehero.film/.

Paris Can Wait

Many people are familiar with the expression, "Take time to stop and smell the roses." This is what the character Jacques (played by Arnaud Viard) does in the movie PARIS CAN WAIT. Unfortunately, his traveling companion Anne (played by Diane Lane) does not appreciate all the detours.

Jacques, Anne, and her husband Michael (played by Alec Baldwin) are in Cannes, France for a movie Michael is producing. When the film shoot moves to Budapest, Michael boards a jet for take off, but Anne has an ear infection and chooses to drive to Paris with Jacques.

Be sure to eat before watching PARIS CAN WAIT. Jacques' alternate route to Paris includes stopping to dine and drink wine several times. And the meals are large. However, some of the jaunts include stopping at museums and other points of interest.

Director Eleanor Coppola provides a fun tour of France with PARIS CAN WAIT. After watching, one feels she or he has visited the country. The film is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is http://sonyclassics.com/pariscanwait/.

Going In Style

GOING IN STYLE stars Alan Arkin ("Albert"), Michael Caine ("Joe"), and Morgan Freeman ("Willie"). The movie is a humorous tale that shows how wisdom is an asset. In the story, these gentlemen approach their scheme differently than young people would, and it is beneficial for them.

Overall, the performances are excellent, and it is great seeing Ann-Margret in such a vibrant role. She plays Annie, Albert's lady friend. This is significant, considering she is one of few female characters in the film.

GOING IN STYLE is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is http://goinginstylemovie.com/.

The Last Word

THE LAST WORD is an honest movie that may even be therapeutic for some viewers. Shirley MacLaine is exquisite as a single, retired businesswoman named Harriet Lauler. She is wise, independent, and fearless. Many dislike her for her candor so she spends time alone; however, she is consistent in maintaining control, and develops the notion of writing her obituary while she is still alive. As a result, a writer at the local newspaper named Anne Sherman (played by Amanda Seyfried) is elected by her supervisor Ronald Odom, played by Tom Everett Scott, to write Harriet's obituary. Obviously, Anne does not immediately like Harriet.

THE LAST WORD is a fascinating comedy-drama that places differing individuals in the same arena. Naturally, when this happens the women are able to learn a great deal about each another, after looking beyond exterior structures. Harriet and Anne ultimately serve as surrogates for one another, filling the gap for a family member. One is without her daughter in her life and the other does not have a mother in her life, so they unexpectedly need each other.

In addition, a dynamic aspect is AnnJewel Lee Dixon who plays Brenda, the at-risk youth Harriet mentors. The three females bond. Each is honest and the characters are genuine.

THE LAST WORD is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is http://www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com/thelastword.

Love & Friendship

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP is a romantic comedy set in the 1790's, adapted from Jane Austen's novella Lady Susan, which is an epistolary.  An epistolary is a story written based on documents, such as letters, diary entries, or newspaper clippings. Now one can even write an epistolary from electronic documents like e-mails and blogs.

Kate Beckinsale plays Lady Susan Vernon, a widow with one daughter. Lady Susan acts so proper, as everyone is polite. Meanwhile, there are rumors about her private life. She makes it a mission to find a husband for herself and her daughter.

The movie is very funny and Beckinsale's performance is very good. Overall, the film is well written, has a great cast, and it is enjoyable seeing the period costumes and estates in which the characters live.  LOVE & FRIENDSHIP is currently playing in theatres.

A Hologram for the King

In the movie A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING Tom Hanks plays Alan Clay, a man who is dealing with personal problems and chooses to focus on having a successful career. Many people can probably relate to this. The story serves as a character study, which is a portrayal of traits and qualities of a single individual. In other words, Alan's personality is more important than the plot. Maybe this aspect is what attracted Mr. Hanks to the role.

Another interesting character is Yousef, played by Alexander Black.  Yousef is Alan's driver while he is in Saudi Arabia on business. He is also humorous and manages to intrigue Alan with details about his life. Surprisingly, this movie even provides Alan with a love interest from an unlikely individual. Falling in love really is the last thing on Alan's mind, but that is usually when it occurs.

A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING is based on the book of the same title by Dave Eggers. It is currently playing in theatres in the United States and Germany.

"Party Tonight!" in Post-Production

I adapted the short story "Party Tonight!" from my book, Growing Pains - 10 short stories about growing up (http://www.tdaentertainment.com/growingpainsbook.htm). The short film is currently in post-production, which means it is being edited. The story is about 'Kim,' a conservative college freshman, who has a roommate named 'Teresa' who likes to party. The odd pairing makes the narrative comedic and dramatic.

I produced and directed "Party Tonight!" It stars Desiree Cruz as 'Kim' and Aryn Bigler as 'Teresa.' David Lundell appears as 'Joe' (Teresa's boyfriend).

The official Web site for "Party Tonight!" is http://www.tdaentertainment.com/PartyTonight.htm.

Mayor Cupcake

MAYOR CUPCAKE is a fun movie. Lea Thompson is wonderful as ‘Mary Maroni,’ a cupcake baker who lives in Bridgeville, Delaware with her husband ‘Donald’ (played by Judd Nelson) and their three daughters. Unknowingly, ‘Mary’ is nominated for mayor of Bridgeville and wins the election, beating out a four-term mayor and another male opponent. She is unenthusiastic about the job, but swiftly makes the best of it and does very well with help from her friend ‘Albert’ (played by Dorian Harewood). She even takes pride in her duties since she was born and raised in Bridgeville and loves the town. However, there is conflict because some do not want her being their mayor. It is comical watching them try to thwart her.

Bridgeville has unique residents. One man makes it his chore to let drivers know to slow down since the police write a lot of speeding tickets, and another man owns an antique store but does not want to part with any merchandise. These and other characters are what make MAYOR CUPCAKE fun. Stories like this are good for the whole family to watch.

The Hustle

Last night I attended the premiere of a Deon Taylor film called THE HUSTLE, starring Charlie Murphy, Al Shearer, David Alan Grier, Tamala Jones, Kym Whitley, David Faustino and Ling Bai. Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister, John Witherspoon, and Brigitte Nielsen make appearances.

THE HUSTLE is a very funny movie, and the large audience I viewed it with laughed a lot. For more information about THE HUSTLE visit http://www.deontaylorenterprises.com.