I am really troubled by this Story and Entertained by the way it was presented. The troubling part is that this is said to be a true story.***Stop reading if you don't like spoilers.***
The story starts with Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) running from what is an obvious raid on his place of employment, he's hit by a car and then the story flashes back to 6 Months earlier.
Daniel is a personal trainer at a local Miami Gym and he comes in contact with a very well to do Colombian-Jewish Entrepreneur. The Entrepreneur's name is withheld to protect the innocent but, needless to say, this guy hires Daniel as Personal Trainer and begins to tell him all about his success in life.
Now Daniel attends a Johnny Wu (Never actually happened) seminar where he is convinced he is A doer and only needs to come up with a plan then make it happen.
One thing leads to another Daniel recruits his two friends, Paul and Adrian, to come up with a plan of how they're going to take the Entrepreneurs life, money, and property away to make it their own.
Needless to say, this whole thing leads to kidnapping, extortion, fraud, attempted murder, a double murder, and two death penalties for 6 months of living the high life.
The acting was decent overall but, playing three dumb, homicidal, muscle heads (no this is not an insult to weight lifters, these guys really were dumb) probably isn't all that challenging.
The movie itself was actually very entertaining, disturbing, and actually well done. I was given tickets to a screening but, I would have honestly paid to see this movie had I not known what I know now.
If you're okay with somewhat morbidly bizarre comedies then you won't be disappointed by this. My biggest struggle with the movie was the glamorization of some very violent and tasteless acts. This is evidenced by the fact Lugo wasn't stupid, some characters were fictional and some were only half fictional and the wife of doorbal actually aided in the cleanup of the two homicides. In other words, Michael Bay and company went out of the way to make this story more funny than it really was.
Seriously, there are somethings that cannot be unseen or unlearned and this movie has both of these elements. I would have blissfully enjoyed my suspended reality had they not have flashed across the screen a reminder that it was still a true story amidst two people trying to return a chainsaw with blood and hair on it and the other guy grilling hand that were chopped off their victims. At that point, the movie went from more funny than disturbing to more disturbing than funny.
I dunno, call me old fashioned but, I cannot in good conscience laugh at somebody else's misfortune unless, I suspend reality.
Premise: Danny Lugo (Wahlberg) is a body builder who is sick of being poor. With his friend, Adrian (Mackie), and an ex-con (Johnson), Danny decides to rob a spoiled and egotistical businessman named Victor Kershaw (Shalhoub). After seemingly succeeding, Kershaw turns to a private investigator (Harris) to recover his finances and deal with the trio...But everything gets out of hand quickly.
Thoughts: This is a Michael Bay film. As such, it matches his general off-kilter aesthetics and love of the "BOOM, BANG, BOOM". That said, this is different from his most recent endeavors (i.e. the Transformers) in that it is exceedingly more violent. However, the cast give morbidly entertaining performances which quickly helped make this a much more enjoyable film. Visually intense, dark and even surprisingly violent at times the film is an enjoyable dark "R" comedy.
Should you buy it: This comes down to a matter of taste. Do you regularly enjoy Michael Bay films? Then yes, this is a pretty good purchase. I intend to buy it on Bluray since I found it to be quite enjoyable despite the dark content. Unwilling to commit? Rent away!
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"It was hard to laugh so messed up" That was how the couple in front of me aptly put it as they were leaving the theater.This movie many times makes the claim "this is a true story" and while it is based on actual criminal events, "a true story" is a stretch. Doyle, the most interesting of the three characters, is a fictional composite of people who had much smaller roles in the crime spree than Lugo and Adriane, and liberties are taken with characterizations of victims and the details. True-crime buffs who want to know more should read one of the excellent books out there for the complete story. Also, Pain and Gain true story? is a good blog that quickly outlines what parts of the movie did and did not really happen.
That aside, looking at this as purely for its entertainment value, it is a fast paced film with a captivating, twisted story line that is not for the squeamish.
I love both Rebel Wilson and Ken Jeong and like a smart, dark comedy. However, I found the casting of these two comedians in this movie (as well as some of the sight-gags) to be a distraction. They are more laugh out loud funny and didn't mesh well into this dark tale.
At the end the narrator explains to us that our take away is to appreciate what we have. I've also heard Michael Bay in interviews say that's what he was going for. I didn't see it. Really what did these criminals have of real worth to begin with? I'd say the message is even for shallow, dissatisfied, and self-absorbed people money doesn't insure happiness and ill-gained money comes with lots of complications. So even though it pretty much sucks, stick with your pathetic little existence.
My guess is that mainstream audiences will find this movie uncomfortable and that it will be in and out of theaters pretty quickly, but will find a niche market on DVD.
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This is a true story that reads like dumb crook news. Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is a muscle headed body builder who is inspired in ironic fashion by unorthodox motivational speaker Johnny Wu (Ken Jeong). With the aid of two other body builders, Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson) and Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie) they devise a plan to kidnap and extort money from Colombian businessman Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub).They fumble their way through the operation and become greedy. It is clear these guys were not bright. The writers created dialouge for these crooks in order to lighten the story and to keep them from looking like complete idiots. Fictional aspects such as making the nurse (Rebel Wilson) look heavy-set with portraying Doorbal as liking those type of women kept the story from becoming dry.
The beginning of the film demonstrates some humor as Danny names fictional characters as his heroes..."There are no shortcuts to the American dream" he proclaims. In spite of the efforts made by the writers, the film somehow loses its hook and charm as you wait for it to end.
Parental Guide: F-bombs, sex, and nudity. Porn star Nikki Benz is one of the unnamed strippers.
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Many years ago I asked a friend of mine who was from a totally different culture, "What is the single biggest difference between your culture and the American culture?" Her answer was startling! She was surprised by how much Americans idealize criminals! I hope after people watch Pain & Gain that will no longer be true!Keep in mind Pain & Gain is a true story, which makes it extraordinarily disturbing! Anyone reading this film review may someday, unwittingly, cross paths with people who are as evil and ruthless as the three men in this story are. It's a cautionary tale for us all! One bad guy is charming. One is a bit simple-minded and the other is so ordinary he could easily be your next door neighbor. But they all have one thing in common: They are incredibly selfish and if you get in their way, they are going to kill you.
I have lived in both South Florida and Connecticut and I've seen plenty of snotty rich people who are full of themselves and flaunt their wealth. But does that justify stealing from them and killing them? Two of these three men had steady employment at a half decent job, and they are certainly not starving! What could possibly drive them to such incredible acts of depravity and insanity?
The answer is simple! All three of these thugs wanted wealth and to some degree a glamorous lifestyle. Isn't that what advertising and the rest of the media constantly tells us: We can't be satisfied until were are all both rich and glamorous? That if you're not at least Upper Middle Class, you're some sort of loser or failure?
I was once an Catholic altar boy and I used to attend many Baptisms. There was one question the priest always asks the Godparents that stuck in my mind: "Priest: Do you reject the glamour of evil and refuse to be mastered by sin?" I could never totally understand what the "glamour of evil" meant. How can evil possibly be glamorous? Pain & Gain makes you realize how seductive and glamorous evil can be for anyone who, ironically, is not a strong person!
See:23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism and Dangerous Liaisons: How to Recognize and Escape from Psychopathic Seduction
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