Hustle follows the story of a basketball scout who discovers a street ball player in Spain and he plans to get him to play NBA in the States. The story ticks all the tropes of a typical sports drama. The one distinct difference here was that the audience watch the drama unfold through the gaze of the scout and NOT the player. So you are introduced to the personal issues in the life of the protagonist in a world which is quite well setup. I liked how the writers made an effort to create a world around without diving right away into the underdog story. To give you a perspective, in the first 45 odd minutes we still aren’t introduced to the “main” underdog. There are many characters which come and go but the street ball player is introduced way later in the screenplay.

The screenplay at a shade under 2 hours is just the right length here. There are proceedings which are interesting and nicely built up in the first half but slightly cliched in the second half where the drama gets a little more generic. But the writers have ensured that you are thoroughly entertained and well invested in the drama. The obstacles which are introduced are definitely interesting although you know where the drama is headed. In other words, the drama might be predictable but it is surely entertaining. This ends up in a final act which truly sums up the bond between the protagonist and his prodigy. Overall, a well written screenplay with several heartwarming moments.