In Las Vegas, a city where most men lose their last hope, Dean (Matt Bushell) arrives to discover redemption. Strung out behind him are a series of half-baked endeavors and failed relationships. He has turned his back on everything from the military to Wall Street. Now, in the dingy hotels and bars of Vegas he begins to build a life that for the first time, he doesn't want to walk out on. He develops unlikely friendships as he builds a raggedly endearing team of "card counters." These men are not characterized by their "genius" or undeniable "con-man" potential, rather they are loyal and hard-working; blue-collar workers with a street smart eye for detail. This is not the Vegas of penthouse suites and high-rollers, this is the unrefined glamour of everyman's Sin City. The story is uniquely told by the normally faceless people behind the scenes; the bartenders, strippers, and hustlers who bond together to defeat faceless casino corporations.
Rough Hustle is appropriately written and directed by Delaney Dragon who has himself, an air of the Everyman. He has worked a myriad of jobs from Fortune 500 companies to nightshift cab driver. He previously directed five short films and now tackles Rough Hustle as his feature debut. Like Dean, Delaney has gathered around a loyal hard-working crew that is enthusiastically putting in gritty hours to complete this project successfully. He has enticed an extremely promising production crew and actors ensemble to craft this film.
Delaney also wears the hat of Producer and is supported by Brendan Davis (Executive Producer/ Producer). As a director, producer or executive producer Brendan has been part of films that have screened to acclaim at festivals around the world, including Life with Fiona (Rome), Flowers and Weeds (Palm Springs), and Deadgirl (Toronto, AFI). He is the founder and CEO of Tangible Entertainment (TE), a Los Angeles-based production company he runs with his partner, director-producer Blue Nelson. Katherine Haber rounds out the team of producers. She recently occupied several studio executive positions after working on award winning projects like Blade Runner, and Deer Hunter.
A strong group of actors are headed up by Matt Bushell (Twilight, Leatherheads) Michael Welch (Twilight, The United States of Leland, Star Trek: Insurrection), Joe Estevez ( Boiler Room, Alibi, Working Title ), and Natalia Livingston ( Popstar, West of Brooklyn, "General Hospital").The loveable crew of characters surrounding our leads include both acting newcomers and indie film veterans. Dean Haglund ( "The Lone Gunmen" "The X-Files," The Boy Scout ), Isaac Singleton Jr. ( Dragon Hunter, Breaking Down, "Crossing Jordan"), Maggie Henry (The Girlfriend, "The Ex-List" ), Dream Kasestatadad ( Why Am I Doing This? "Dexter").
There is a undeniable parallel with the story of Rough Hustle and the making of the film. Director Delaney Dragon has an unpretentious group committed to building success from sheer grit, determination, and team work. In many ways they represent the Los Angeles Everyman; actors, directors, and crew devoting hard work a day at a time to beat the odds and create a life that is worth sticking it out for.
