Adam Sandler's latest Netflix movie is already being compared to Uncut Gems after earning a huge fan score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film in question, titled Hustle, is set around the story of a down-on-his-luck of luck basketball scout (played by the Happy Gilmore star) who stumbles across an uber-talented player while on holiday.
Sandler’s character wants to bring the player to the US to make it in the NBA. Naturally, the odds are stacked against them.
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Set for wider release on 8 June, it is already being lauded by the lucky few who have seen it as on par with Sandler's previous Netflix hit, Uncut Gems.
The 2019 crime/comedy drama, also starring Julia Fox and LaKeith Stanfield, was an instant hit for its uniquely claustrophobic feel.
Hustle has a similarly impressive cast, boasting the likes of Queen Latifah, Robert Duvall and Ben Foster.
After being released in selected cinemas across the US last week, fans and critics who attended have flooded the Rotten Tomatoes website with positive reviews.
At the time of writing, Hustle currently sits on a 92% rating from both critics and fans.
The critic score comes from 37 verified reviews, piquing people's interest in the movie.
indieWire's David Ehrlich wrote: "If he keeps working this hard, the same man who once symbolized Netflix’s commitment to mediocrity could eventually turn out to be the streamer’s greatest draft pick."
Leah Greenblatt, from Entertainment Weekly, said: "Hustle isn't reinventing the sports-story wheel; it's hardly even spinning it forward. But in the moment, they're having a ball."
Two critical hits in a row for Hollywood star Sandler would be a great departure as historically, his anger-fuelled comedy hasn't tended to go down well with film buffs.
His 2011 comedy Jack and Jill famously received a critical score of just 3%, with Rotten Tomatoes concluding: "Jack and Jill is impossible to recommend on any level whatsoever".
By stark contrast, Uncut Gems is his second-highest-rated movie on the site, also standing at 92% – just behind 2017's The Meyerowitz Stories.
It was also Studio A24's highest-grossing opening day release, bringing in a total of $5.9 million (£4.8m).
The subject matter of Hustle has brought some additional creative personnel in the form of NBA legend LeBron James.
The LA Lakers superstar helped to produce the film as part of his SpringHill Entertainment company in collaboration with Sandler’s Happy Madison operation and Roth/Kirschenbaum Films.
James already has experience of working in show business, having had a starring role in the 2021 Space Jam remake.
Topics: Adam Sandler, Netflix, Basketball, TV and Film
Tom Fenton