Almost immediately, all the men in the movie were painted as emotionless, chauvinistic womanizers who were willing to drop thousands of dollars to provide a gorgeous actress with a sufficient boob-job. Men probably weren't too thrilled with sitting a movie that made a point of demonizing them. The Rotten Tomato reviews proved this: awarding the Rebel Wilson film one pitiful star.
Basically, two female con artists take advantage of men by appealing to their sex drive. Claiming that they need money for their beautiful sisters' plastic surgeries, Wilson and Hathaway fool countless victims. It's hilarious.
In several scenes, Wilson pretends to be blind, which gains the sympathy of helpless men and deepens the rivalry between her and Hathaway. Hathaway takes advantage of Wilson's "blindness," forcing her to run into doors, abstain from drinking, and possibly miss out on the love of her life.
Of course, there is one man in the film who manages to overlook Wilson's exterior and love her for her heart...not to mention her humor and personality. This little twist highlights the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) movement, which has been recently discussed by people like Steven Crowder and Amy Schumer. I'm all for the message that all women are beautiful, and the right men will acknowledge that. It may be labeled as extreme or a feminist agenda, but women are widely sexualized, and this movie draws attention to that fact.
I get that a lot of directors today have taken to replacing traditionally male roles with female actors. This has sparked a lot of controversies and, in some cases, outrage among male (and female) fans. However, the occasional change is refreshing, and even non-feminists can admit that. I'm all for a lady-boss who can use her "charm" to promote the greater good or swindle a few meatheads along the way.
The problem I do have is when stereotypes are taken to the extreme. "The Hustle" is worth seeing because of the dry humor and blatant comedy, but not all men are stupid or sexist. Instead of fighting for what we want through films or passive-aggressively, I think all of us ladies should work on our direct communication. At this point in history, we do have the same rights as men. Because of this fact, it's time to uncurl our fists and lower our voices. We already won! Girls, just tell men what's bothering you without trying to strip them of their masculinity. If they don't listen, that's just a sign of immaturity and insecurity, so it's on them. Know that men want to be respected and listened to without being nagged to death.
Guys, please respect us and know that we really don't have that much control over how our bodies look. We'd really appreciate if you wouldn't stare or drool, and instead would treat us the way you'd want to be treated...with respect.
As for "The Hustle," if you're a guy who wants to laugh at the constant jokes of Rebel Wilson and ironic beauty of Anne Hathaway's character, look past the feminist message and enjoy the comedy instead. You're strong enough to handle that, right? In his James Bond films, Sean Connery used to slap hysterical women until they'd pass out just so they'd be quiet. Countless women sat through those scenes and said nothing. Now it's your turn.
