The Top 40 Basketball Movies - #1. Hustle

The Top 40 Basketball Movies - #1. Hustle

Getting the nod over Hoosiers, number one is a Netflix Adam Sandler movie. Adam Sandler is an overseas scout for the 76ers, going from hotel to hotel, game to game looking for something special, eating fast food. Married to Queen Latifah, with a daughter. Robert Duvall plays the owner and Ben Foster the son. While the owner believes in Sandler's Stanley Sugerman, Ben Foster has his own thoughts on how the 76ers should draft. Jaleel White, Kenny Smith and Heidi Gardner who is the daughter of Duvall's character and another friend to Stanley are also on the personnel team. When Duvall's character passes away, Foster goes his own way against Stanley's wishes. It's the same setup premise as Gladiator. Instead of emperor, Duvall wants to make Sandler an assistant telling Sandler not to back down ever. That statement drives the rest of the movie. Foster demotes Stanley and puts him back as a scout which Sandler isn't happy with. Stanley happens upon a pickup game and finds the prospect he has been looking for in Bo Cruz. Bo, Stanley follows him home after the pickup game where he meets Bo's mom and daughter. Bo agrees to do a workout the next day, and impresses but Foster says no. Sandler agrees to pay Bo's way. Bo comes to Philly and doesn't do well in his first tryout against Kermit. Juancho Hernangomez in real life was drafted in 2016, is good at his pickup game but doesn't do well under pressure. Hernangomez and Edwards (Kermit) played together for the Timberwolves.  Stanley quits after Foster disrespects Bo and himself. Training starts a Rocky Philadelphia style montage. Foster comes out against Bo's arrest record and things get heated. Stanley's daughter suggests a pick up game for money that would be recorded to bring in interest for Bo. Bo loses his cool at the combine at Kermit, but after a third tryout Bo finally gets there. The end is a cameo heaven from Shaq, Dirk, Barkley, Seth Curry, Doc Rivers, Dr J, Allen Iverson and more. It's about dreams, hard work, love and obsession of the game. The movie makes you care about the characters, it helps that Sandler is as likable as he is. The cliché 'catchphrases' that came from scouts and coaches at the end really hurt my ears and is easily the worst thing about the film. 

Movie	Rotten Tom	Rotten Tom Aud	IMDB	Internet Rank	My Rank
1. Hustle	93	93	7.3	3	3
2. Hoosiers	91	88	7.4	4	4
3. Love and Basketball	85	95	7.2	5	8
4. The Way Back	84	84	6.7	9	5
5. Coach Carter	64	85	7.3	7	7
6. Air	92	98	7.7	1	14
7. White Men Can't Jump	77	68	6.8	17	1
8. He Got Game	80	83	6.9	8	11
9. Uncut Gems	91	52	7.4	13	9
10. One on One	88	75	6.5	15	12
11. Above the Rim	52	82	6.6	18	10
12. Champions	59	95	6.7	12	17
13. BASEketball	41	74	6.5	28	2
14. Glory Road	55	81	7.2	14	18
15. Finding Forrester	74	79	7.3	10	22
16. Rebound: The Legend of Earl “The Goat”	50	94	7.6	6	27
17. Inside Moves	50	77	7.0	19	16
18. Hoop Dreams	98	92	8.3	2	35
19. Uncle Drew	61	48	5.7	32	6
20. Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story	50	99	6.9	11	28
21. The Winning Season	50	55	6.6	26	15
22. Fast Break	50	59	6.1	30	13
23. Believe in Me	60	74	7.0	16	29
24. High Flying Bird	91	50	6.2	20	26
25. "O"	64	58	6.1	22	25
26. Forget Paris	48	56	6.5	29	19
27. Sunset Park	13	83	5.9	31	21
28. Game Day	50	82	5.4	25	30
29. Blue Chips	37	51	6.2	33	23
30. Amateur	60	66	5.9	24	32
31. The Air Up There	21	35	5.5	38	20
32. Space Jam	43	63	6.5	27	31
33. Semi-Pro	22	38	5.8	36	24
34. Heaven Is a Playground	50	84	5.8	21	39
35. Hurricane Season	50	69	6.5	23	38
36. Teen Wolf	42	52	6.1	34	34
37. Boogie	42	57	5.2	35	36
38. Rebound	14	38	5.1	40	33
39. Slam Dunk Ernest	50	31	4.5	37	37
40. Eddie	17	36	5.2	39	40