Often times a good comedy comes down to casting. A perfect pairing can rise a decent script to epic proportions. Conversely, should someone’s chops not be up to snuff, it can derail an entire production, regardless their best efforts. Judging by the footage in the trailer for The Hustle, the duo of Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway, is thankfully the former.
Should you feel a sense of deja vu while watching the above, that’s on purpose. The Hustle is indeed a gender-swapped reworking of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Yet, before you get in a tizzy over the prospect of another remake, keep in mind the 1988 comedy was itself a remake of 1964’s Bedtime Story. Plus, it isn’t as if the formula isn’t ripe for reinterpretation or updating. Specially when the film in question looks like a bunch of goofy fun. Although, hopefully the finished product isn’t drowning in that much slapstick. More of Hathaway’s accent is welcome though, as it’s wonderfully ridiculous.
Also helping keep things from seeming like a cash grab, is the talent attached behind the scenes. Jac Schaeffer wrote the film and works as an entry point for the full schedule she’s about to be saddled with. Schaeffer is attached to both Marvel’s Black Widow feature, as well as the forthcoming Disney+ The Vision and Scarlet Witch series. Not to mention, having a female voice invovled in the proceedings is a welcome addition. That shouldn’t be something worth noting necessarily, as more often than not it should be a given, but this is 2019 and things haven’t progressed to that point yet. Hopefully it’s a trend that continues to be more and more of the norm. Meanwhile, stepping into Frank Oz’s directing shoes is Chris Addison. The Veep alum makes the jump to the big screen here, in his theatrical debut.
What do you think about the trailer? Are you over the moon for the pairing of Hathaway and Wilson? Have you ever seen Dirty Rotten Scoundrels before? Any cameos you’re dying to see here? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section. The Hustle may just prove to be the gleefully silly palate cleaner everyone needs before the summer season kicks off, when it hits theaters on May 10.
