--- title: "The Hustler: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-hustler/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-hustler" critics_score: 82 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Hustler (1961): what the critics said Critics' score 82 from 12 reviews: 10 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics rate The Hustler highly, and the praise settles on the acting. Paul Newman’s Fast Eddie Felson is singled out in nearly every review, with George C. Scott’s gambler and Jackie Gleason’s dramatic turn close behind, and several reviews name Piper Laurie’s Sarah as the film’s tender centre. Robert Rossen’s handling of the smoky pool-hall world is admired for feeling authentic rather than dressed up, and the reviews agree the film is about character and self-respect more than about pool. The spread is wider than the average suggests. The New Yorker finds the story overambitious and sprawling, collapsing under complications it does not need, though still worth seeing. Variety, the one negative notice, objects to the downbeat, sordid realism and the length, while conceding the performances. The Guardian, otherwise approving, notes an abrupt ending and a speeded-up clock device. The 1961 reviews are cooler than the later ones. ## Radio Times — Adrian Turner Rating 5/5. This is hailed as a masterpiece and showcase for one of Paul Newman's best performances. The critic singles out the perfectly captured seedy pool-hall atmosphere and the sparks between Newman, Gleason and Scott. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-8xihrb/the-hustler/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 4/4. 23 June 2002. The film centers on Fast Eddie Felson’s journey of self-discovery through pool, where his lack of character ultimately defeats him more than any opponent. Ebert praises the deep character development, especially Piper Laurie’s Sarah, and the way the story reveals inner strength beyond the game itself. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-hustler-1961) ## Slant Magazine — Arthur Ryel-Lindsey Rating 4/4. 29 June 2007. The critic describes it as the loneliest American movie with the purest examination of an athlete’s internal struggle, highlighting Newman’s force-of-energy performance and the story’s Cinderella-Faust blend. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-hustler/) ## Empire — Rob Fraser Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2011. The critic calls The Hustler one of the coolest movies ever made but stresses it has more substance than style alone. Rossen uses the pool-hall world to explore male machismo and existential themes, with Piper Laurie’s role adding a tender heart to the cynical tone. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/hustler-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — James Powers Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 1961. The critic calls the film provocative, powerful, odd, and serious, an important and satisfying experience outside usual Hollywood fare, with a daring structure that Rossen pulls off through vital sequences and authentic pool scenes. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/hustler-review-1961-movie-1146976) ## The Guardian — Philip French Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2006. Philip French calls The Hustler Robert Rossen's greatest film, a stylised fable about loyalty, betrayal, character and self-respect set in a smoky pool-hall underworld. He praises the superb performances from Newman, Scott, Gleason and Laurie, along with the Oscar-winning black-and-white photography, while noting minor flaws in the abrupt ending and speeded-up clock device. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/sep/17/paulnewman.drama) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 25 June 2002. The review praises the film as a morality tale without moralizing that makes the game exciting while exploring universal themes of disillusionment and the world's harshness, with strong performances and a shift from Rossen's earlier work. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-hustler-dvd-1798197634) ## The New York Times — Bosley Crowther Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 September 1961. The review finds the film positive and alive under Rossen’s direction, with credible passions and sharp points in its account of a young hustler’s emancipation. It singles out George C. Scott’s magnificently malefic performance as the evil gambler for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1961/09/27/archives/review-1-no-title.html) ## Time Out — CPea Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The review praises the film as a wonderful hymn to an era of serious pool playing. It highlights the strong performances, especially Newman's, that carry the concentrated, enclosed scenes. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-hustler) ## The New Yorker — Brendan Gill Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 23 September 1961. The critic notes the film’s overambitious sprawl causes it to collapse under unnecessary complications, though it remains well worth seeing despite the faults. Strong performances by Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, and George C. Scott are highlighted as standout elements. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1961/09/30/east-and-west) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1960. The review criticizes the film’s downbeat, sordid realism and overlength, which defeat pure entertainment despite impressive performances. Newman’s believable portrayal of the pool shark and Gleason’s potent dramatic turn are noted as strengths amid the unpleasant characters and dingy settings. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1960/film/reviews/the-hustler-1200419872/) ## Collider — Rob Vaux Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 10 July 2011. The critic praises Paul Newman's iconic performance as Fast Eddie Felson and Robert Rossen's gritty direction that captures the seedy world of pool hustling. The Blu-ray release highlights the film's timeless quality and strong supporting cast. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-hustler-blu-ray-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-hustler.md