Money Train 1995
The crime caper with Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes; her first big supporting role, before megastardom.
The Big Picture · Discussion · Interview
'Hustlers' Is Undeniable and So Is Jennifer Lopez, Oscar Contender
September 13, 2019/ 87 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins walk Jennifer Lopez's career the week Hustlers opens, from the four-films-in-1997 arrival through the bad rom-coms and the Bennifer wipeout to a decade away and the comeback. Plus: Sean talks to Hustlers writer-director Lorene Scafaria.
25 films across 2 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
The Jennifer Lopez career archer breakthrough, her pinnacle, then years away, with Hustlers as the comeback
Blood and Wine 1996
Bob Rafelson's steamy thriller with Jack Nicholson. She plays the femme fatale, a role she got cast in a lot in this period. Amanda watched her tango with Nicholson the night before.
Selena 1997
The best-remembered of her films and, they agree, a total-movie-star turn. Amanda calls the film itself maybe the most hagiographic biopic she's ever seen, but Lopez is riveting, and the stage presence is there from the start, nothing borrowed.
Anaconda 1997
An all-time good-bad movie. She's perfectly credible fighting a giant snake in an unfortunate khaki vest.
U Turn 1997
Oliver Stone's noir blow-up. Sean rewatched it; her character is the most retrograde man-manipulating part, and it doesn't quite work, but four wildly different films in one year signaled an arrival.
Out of Sight 1998
Both hosts' personal pinnacle. As Karen Sisco she's witty and in control, always one step ahead of George Clooney, but the trunk scene and the snow-globe softness are what make it: a slightly reserved performance that doesn't swing for the fences.
The Cell 2000
Tarsem's beautiful, self-indulgent showcase with none of the essence of Lopez in it. Sean got it as one of his first two DVDs alongside The Matrix and has seen it a lot anyway.
The Wedding Planner 2001
Not a good romantic comedy. She and Matthew McConaughey have no chemistry, she's buttoned up and not funny, and she's cast as an Italian American rather than allowed to be Jennifer Lopez.
Angel Eyes 2001
One of the intense thriller/crime pivots she made between rom-coms.
Enough 2002
The other crime/thriller swing of the era, paired with Angel Eyes.
Maid in Manhattan 2002
A bland commercial pivot directed, oddly, by Wayne Wang. Shea Serrano and Amanda once wrote a 'would this get made today?' piece about its assumptions.
Gigli 2003
Branded the biggest disaster in movie history; it's not, it's just bad. Made $7.2M against a $75.6M budget despite pairing J.Lo and Ben Affleck at their most famous, Martin Brest directing, Al Pacino, and cinematographer Robert Elswit.
Jersey Girl 2004
Kevin Smith's self-conscious commercial swing, shot by Vilmos Zsigmond, also with Affleck. She plays the wife who dies early. The Gigli-into-Jersey Girl one-two radically changed her career.
Shall We Dance 2004
She's a dance instructor in a strictly-ballroom-but-not-campy setup. Amanda hasn't seen it; Sean has a problem with movie titles that end in question marks.
Monster-in-Law 2005
One of the titles they flag a listener will accuse them of ignoring.
Bordertown 2006
Barely seen; part of the retreat after the Bennifer run.
El Cantante 2006
The Hector Lavoe biopic with then-husband Marc Anthony. Not very well seen.
The Back-up Plan 2010
One of the long-forgotten later films; part of what they call a roughly 10-year absence as a credible movie star.
What to Expect When You're Expecting 2012
Another of the forgotten ensemble titles from the wilderness decade.
Parker 2013
Grouped with the other quickly-forgotten films of the 2010s.
Second Act 2018
A working-girl dramedy Amanda wanted to watch but couldn't rent. Made for $16M and grossed $72M; you don't quite believe J.Lo as someone struggling.
In conversationSean and the writer-director on adapting the real story, casting Lopez, and mid-budget movies
Lorene Scafaria on
Hustlers 2019
She took the Jessica Pressler article as a writing assignment after The Meddler, wrote maybe 20 drafts through a studio change to STX, and treated the pole work like a sports movie. Scorsese was circling to direct; Adam McKay told her he hoped Scorsese passed. She calls Lopez the reason it got made, and by far the best thing she's done since Out of Sight. One of the real subjects, the one Lopez plays, is suing.
Lorene Scafaria on
The Meddler 2015
Her personal previous film about her mother and her father's death; she wanted to swing the pendulum away from something that personal.
Lorene Scafaria on
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World 2012
Her ambitious debut feature; she didn't go to film school, came up directing theater and shorts.
Lorene Scafaria on
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2019
Her answer to the closing 'last great thing' question. She found it moving and human, with a restraint she liked, which is why she's praying character movies aren't a death rattle.
Also mentioned raised along the way
In passing The MatrixBoiler RoomGoodfellasPulp FictionFive Easy PiecesBoogie NightsMagnoliaMichael ClaytonThere Will Be BloodMidnight Run48 Hrs.Strictly BallroomChan Is MissingThe Joy Luck ClubSmokeBlue in the FaceBilly MadisonThe Goldfinch
Sean's question-mark-title tangent Dude, Where's My Car?What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?What's Up, Doc?What About Bob?Are We There Yet?
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV In Living ColorAmerican IdolShades of BlueLate Night with Seth Meyers
Podcasts The Hottest TakeRinger Dish
Web A-Rod's birthday video for Jennifer Lopez