Hustle – Series 4
Reviewer: Tom Leins
Issue 103 May 2008
(1 votes, average: 7 out of 10)
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The con is (still) on!
The Lowdown: With leader Mickey Bricks departed for sunnier climes, the Hustle gang are cast adrift. Danny Blue yearns to step into Mickey’s imposing shoes, but the rest of the crew have other ideas. Despite the upheaval created by Mickey’s disappearance, do the gang still have what it takes to con their way to the top?
Review: The enjoyably flashy Hustle made its BBC debut back in 2004, proving equally popular with viewers and critics alike. Now on its 4th series, the show seems, if not stale, then certainly less inventive than the preceding three series. The first episode is very much a transition, as it marks the first episode without leading man Adrian Lester (Mickey Bricks). Despite a great, charismatic ensemble cast, Lester has left a gaping hole in his wake. Ashley ‘Bullet Boy’ Walters enters the breach in episode two (as cocky young upstart Billy Bond) but he can’t really compete with Lester in terms of stature. Nevertheless, Tony Jordan’s slick homegrown reworking of the Ocean’s 11-style con-man caper is still a dependably enjoyable show, and one that outclasses most BBC dramas.
With the show now insanely popular in the States, two of these six episodes actually take place in America (Los Angeles and then Las Vegas), bolstering the show’s Ocean-fixation even further. The British episodes feel more familiar with the gang ripping off a porn baron, a corrupt nursing home owner and an immoral fashionista. A fifth series is currently on the cards, with Adrian Lester rumoured to be reprising his role as Mickey Bricks. Although there’s probably enough mileage Stateside for the show to keep on going for another series, any more than that and the team will really be pushing their luck! Special features consist of a worthwhile two-part, 35-minute behind-the-scenes documentary entitled ‘The Hard Way’.
FILM: 7 EXTRAS: 6
DVD Info:
Certificate: 15
Starring: Jaime Murray, Robert Vaughn, Marc Warren, Ashley Walters
Directed By: Various, 2007
Distributor: Warner Home Video
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Visuals: 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen
Running Time: 340mins
Price: £30.99
Film supplied by: Premier PR
Special Features:
Episode Selection
‘The Hard Way’ Two-Part Documentary
