The Hustler

The film opens in a bar where a man named Jeremy is eagerly waiting for his date, who he believes is a stunning model. However, his anticipation quickly turns to confusion when he is approached by con artist Penny Rust instead, who presents herself as the sister of the girl Jeremy was supposed to meet.

Penny pretends to be shy due to her sister's insecurity and tries to manipulate Jeremy into giving her money for a breast augmentation on behalf of her 'sister'. This plan is interrupted when another victim of Penny's recognizes her and informs the police, prompting Penny to make a hasty escape.

Meanwhile, in France, a Danish man named Mathias meets Josephine, who claims to have won a considerable amount of chips at the casino. Just as their interaction heats up, an Interpol officer accuses Josephine of being an international criminal, revealing her hidden identity as a con artist.

While at the bar, Josephine cleverly swipes Mathias's valuable bracelet and replaces it with a fake, thereby pulling off a successful con. Her deceitful charm leads her to escape the situation unscathed, all while being aided by her accomplices.

Josephine boards a train heading for the French Riviera, where she spots Penny conning another potential target. Intrigued by Penny's methods, Josephine approaches her and learns about Penny's plans to con wealthy men in Beaumont-sur-Mer.

Motivated by her desire to eliminate competition, Josephine tricks Penny into taking a detour to Port-au-Prince instead of pursuing her con plans. This sets up a competitive dynamic between the two women, signaling the start of their rivalry.

Upon arriving in Beaumont-sur-Mer, Josephine tricks Penny into being arrested by having Gregor identify her. With Penny in jail, Josephine takes advantage of the situation to pursue her own cons while simultaneously undermining Penny.

After convincing Penny to leave her cell, Josephine offers to teach her how to become a better con artist. Their collaboration leads to various practice cons, beginning with a wealthy tycoon named Howard who is easily manipulated by Josephine's charm.

The tension escalates when Josephine and Penny make a bet to see who can con the next rich man first. Their target is Thomas Westerburg, an app creator who appears to be naïve and easily fooled by their elaborate schemes.

Penny and Josephine each attempt to win Thomas's affection. Penny pretends to be blind to gain his sympathy, while Josephine tries to seduce him, leading to an ongoing battle of wits between the two con artists.

As the rivalry intensifies, both women discover that Thomas is not as vulnerable as he appears. Instead, they learn that Thomas has successfully conned both of them, revealing that he is also a skilled con artist.

After their initial shock, Penny and Josephine come to terms with their situation as they recognize their shared experience. They reluctantly agree to align themselves with Thomas, realizing they can potentially benefit from his success.

Fast forward to the holiday season, the trio of con artists targets yet another victim, this time hiding beneath a Christmas tree to execute their scam. Their new partnership suggests they have found a dynamic routine for conning their way to success.