"The pool game is over when Fats says it's over...I came after him and I'm gonna get him. I'm going with him all the way."
Young pool player Eddie Felson will stop at nothing to beat national champion Minnesota Fats. Interestingly, despite his talents, Eddie's destructive behavior toward himself and the people he loves show why he's a natural-born loser.
I have to admit that I wasn't wildly entertained while watching this movie like I felt like I should have been. The plot moved a bit too slow for my taste, and I found myself continuously losing interest. That's not to say I thought this was a bad movie. On paper, it has a lot of things going for it, and and my mission as a critic is to deconstruct it objectively.
In one of the reviews I read of this film, someone referred it as "a movie about pool that isn't a movie about pool". I'd say that's an accurate way to describe it. This film went deeper than I expected regarding the personal issues among its characters and how these issues manifested themselves. As the plot progresses, more and more of Eddie's psychological problems begin to surface. He's a fantastic pool player, but no amount of wins can fill the emptiness within him. He has a lot in common with the character that he gravitates to the most, his girlfriend Sarah. They both self-medicate with alcohol to hide from the past as well as suppress feelings of failure. This is not just the story of a pool player in over his head, but an account of the depression that affects so many people in any time period.
I think I would enjoy The Hustler a lot more if I watched it again. I mentally clocked out after the first thirty minutes of it because I really expected it to be just a movie about pool playing. Even though I wish I enjoyed the movie more while watching it, I appreciate its character development, the great acting, and most of all, the depth of its plot. Paul Newman is also ridiculously good looking. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Characters: 7.2/10
Acting: 7.4/10
Storyline: 7.5/10
Entertainment Value: 4/10
Immediate Rating: 7/10
Total Score: 33.1/50
