Skip to main content

Robin Hood complex?

Hustlers (2019)


Look around you. It is no brainer that the divisions between the haves and the have nots are increasing as we speak. The price of essential goods only goes one way - up. There will be many justifications to raise the price of a commodity. It could be the weather, artificial shortage, the hike in petrol price, the value of our currency, you name it. Interestingly, when the offending factor is relieved, the price stays the same. Minimum wage barely changes but the lure to buy, purchase and spend never ends. 

The members at the lower end of the economic spectrum always seem the target of these baits via subliminal advertisements in the media or movies. In this cruel world of punishing the poor for being poor, it appears like the wealthy have it all too easy. We get to keep their cake and eat it.

A case in point is the 2008 and the many similar economic meltdowns that the world frequently experiences. The poor need to tighten their belts and pull themselves up by their bootstraps. The big conglomerates, investment bankers and the Wall Street hotshots instead get fat bonuses and a chance to run away with their obscene stash even though they singlehandedly were the cause of the mishap.

The law seems impotent to be dealing with all these shenanigans. It takes a lifetime to get the legal system to mete acceptable justice. The only beneficiary of this exercise is the legal fraternity itself. It pats itself as it assumes a demigod status displaying pristine honesty, laughing all the way to the bank.

Hence, the alternative strategy would be an ala 'Robin Hood' method, to rob from the rich to feed one's own lifelong desires. Unfortunately, society does not receive this kindly. Perhaps, they want a piece of the action. They want a share of the loot in the form of taxes. Robin Hood becomes the bad guy while the greedy wealthy bankers become the victim.

In a nutshell, this film tells how a group of exotic dancers (in everyday language, striptease) during the 2008 economic downturn, use their entrepreneurial skills to outwit the members of the financial market. The effort is nothing more than to live the high life that they always dreamt and to improve the lives of those around them. It is based on a real-life story where high-flying executives were cajoled into partying with them. They were drugged with a concoction of ketamine and MDMA (date drug) to max out their credit card and not having any recollection of it the day after.

The story is not new, but the moviemakers sex it up with the continuous flow of naked ladies in different stages of undress engaged in various unlady-like postures. Understandably, it proved too raunchy for screening in many Asian countries. Meanwhile, the media, parroting the voice of liberalism and freedom of expression, screams praises of the story and the acting. They even suggest it as one of the best offerings of the year to be churned out from Hollywood.  


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Gory historic details or gore fest?

Razakar:  The Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad  (Telegu, 2024) Director:  Yata Satyanarayana In her last major speech before her disposition, Sheikh Hasina accused those who opposed her rule in Bangladesh of being Razakars. The opposition took offence to this term and soon widespread mob throughout the land. Of course, it is not that that single incident brought down an elected government but a culmination of joblessness and unjust reservations for a select population group. In the Bengali psyche, Razakar is a pejorative term meaning traitor or Judas. It was first used during the 1971 Pakistan Civil War. The paramilitary group who were against the then-East Pakistani leader, Majibur Rehman, were pro-West Pakistan. After establishing independence in Bangladesh, Razakars were disbanded, and many ran off to Pakistan. Around the time of Indian independence, turmoil brewed in the princely state of Hyderabad, which had been a province deputed by the Mughals from 1794. The rule of N...

The products of a romantic star of the yesteryear!

Now you see all the children of Gemini Ganesan (of four wives, at least) posing gleefully for the camera after coming from different corners of the world to see the ailing father on his deathbed. They seem to found peace with the contributor of their half of their 46 chromosomes. Sure, growing up must have been hell seeing their respective mothers shedding tears, indulgence in unhealthy activities with one of them falling prey to the curse of the black dog, hating the sight of each step sibling, their respective heartaches all because of the evil done by one man who could not put his raging testesterones under check! Perhaps,the flashing lights and his dizzying heights that his career took clouded his judgement. After all, he was only human... Gems of Gemini Ganesan L-R: Dr Revathi Swaminathan, Narayani Ganesan, Dr Kamala Selvaraj, Rekha, Vijaya Chamundeswari   and Dr Jaya Shreedhar.  ( Abs:  Radha Usman Syed, Sathish Kumaar Ganesan) Seeing six of Ge...

Chicken's Invite? (Ajak-ajak ayam)

In the Malay lingo, the phrase 'ajak-ajak ayam' refers to an insincere invitation. Of course, many of us invite for courtesy's sake, but then the invitee may think that the invitation is for real! How does anyone know? Inviters and invitees must be smart enough to take the cue that one party may have gatecrashed with ulterior motives, or the other may not want him to join in the first place! Easily twenty years ago, my family was invited to a toddler's birthday party. As my children were toddlers, too, we were requested to come early so that my kids could run around and play in their big compound. And that the host said she would arrange a series of games for them to enjoy. So there we were in the early evening at a house that resembled very little of one immersed in joy and celebration. Instead, we were greeted by a house devoid of activities and no guests. The host was still out shopping her last-minute list, and her helper was knee-deep in her preparations to ...