Bronx Female Celebs Shine in Feminist “Goodfellas”
‘Hustlers’ Movie Poster (Photo Credit: STX Entertainment)
By: Sally Barrilla
Audiences flooded theaters to see stars Constance Wu, Keke Palmer, and well-known Bronxites Cardi B and Jennifer Lopez in “Hustlers.” The film tells the story of Ramona (Jennifer Lopez), Diamond (Cardi B), and Destiny (Constance Wu), who desire success despite being extremely poor women of color.
Though there’s a heavy stigma surrounding stripping, “Hustlers” excels at humanizing its characters and shows stripping as a good way of earning money, especially for a diverse group of responsible and driven women of color. It rapidly became a hit, earning $121 million dollars at box offices worldwide as of Oct. 11.
This plot reverses the trope of the usual male cast, portraying a bunch of workers-turned-criminals. Instead, director Lorena Scafaria’s all-female cast emphasizes that women are as capable as men.
Their rise starts amidst the 2008 recession when they decide to work together to take their money-making struggles to the next level. These women’s decision to include rich white men in their scheme to earn some extra cash through the use of drugs classifies them as modern-day “Goodfellas.”
In one powerful scene, Ramona explains to Destiny her motive behind secretly drugging wealthy men and robbing them. Her views on how the world run includes that the poor are constantly oppressed. With a glare in her eyes, she tries to justify her actions to Destiny.
She argues that the poor end up losing more money than they gain, whereas most Wall Street employees take home more of the bacon. Attempting to prove that even in a capitalist society, money is the key factor that makes the world go round, Ramona tells Destiny that it is their time to shine with more money in their pockets.
Although Destiny is hesitant to participate in the scheme, she remembers her grandmother and young child, Lily, at home. Her house is about to be foreclosed on, due to lack of payments, which will leave her grandmother on the street. Since she cannot afford proper childcare for Lily, and does not have a college degree, Destiny has difficulty getting a job. As she clearly narrates her struggles, Destiny’s desperation along with Ramona’s words justify taking any necessary action to make some money.
“The way those women helped each other is how women, in general, should be building each other up and helping one another.”
Though Diamond, played by Cardi B, does not get much time on the big screen, she takes on a role as a caring, confident, and funny companion from the Bronx who also teaches Destiny how to work the pole and make clients come back for more. As a result of her colorful vocabulary, Diamond comes off as a rude person trying to make money, but the more of Diamond audiences see, the more hilarious she becomes. Her character doesn’t hinder other girls from making money nor from showcasing their skills; rather is she a fun-loving girl who is willing to cash in a few bucks any way she can.
Cardi B and Jennifer Lopez’s roles in the film symbolize how ordinary individuals can rise above their circumstances to make something of themselves, and Lehman students overwhelmingly supported their resilience.
Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez in ‘Hustlers’ (Photo Credit: STX Entertainment)
“I wanted to see the movie since the first time it was announced, and honestly, I think it shows strong women who were trying to make it the best way they could,” said 25-year-old senior English major, Davidia Boykins. “Yes, stripping is frowned upon, but some of the women in that movie have kids, so they're just trying to provide for their kids. The way those women helped each other is how women, in general, should be building each other up and helping one another.”
