Inspired by a New York Magazine article, this is the true story of a gang of pole dancers who very successfully conspired to bilk some of their super-rich Wall Street banker wanker clients out of large chunks of cash.

Writer/director Lorene Scafaria’s film is centered on “Destiny,” (Constance Wu – Crazy Rich Asians) a relative neophyte to the wonderful world of exotic dancing who is taken under the wing of alpha stripper Ramona (a magnetic Jennifer Lopez, absolutely stunning at 50).

So of course lots of (tasteful) T&A here, but that’s not what makes this movie so good. It transcends today’s fatuous “girl power” popcorn flicks with a deeply humane undercurrent of female friendship and a message about power and control.

Energetic, funny, perfectly plotted, edgy, intoxicating, superbly entertaining, impeccably cast and in a way a movie for our times. And really, about Lopez: you have to see it to believe it.

February 7 (110 min)