Pain & Gain

I wasn't thrilled with the movie, but that doesn't mean it was not good. Actually, I think this film had incredible substance, due particularly in part to the casting. I would have given it 7 stars, but the length of the film took it down a notch (they could have knocked off 14-19 minutes worth of unnecessary, and sometimes boring footage).

The film started off with Wahlberg seeming to be just like Wahlberg. But, long story short, he and the film evolved to a character that fit him (and vice versa). Based upon the plot, I think it was a good match.

Dwayne Johnson is not brand new to drama, but this was a different kind of role nonetheless. I don't feel he was 100% there, but his likable character makes you just ignore it. I think with a few more roles like this, he'll be better.

I'm not that familiar with Mackie, but he did a great job in his role. Apart from Shalhoub, he was probably one of the most believable characters. He made me think of a subdued and more serious version of Mike Epps.

Shalhoub....well, what can you say about this guy? He was awesome in Monk, and his style is always great. He is a talented actor and the casting of him was a solid choice. He has that goof look to him, yet his face can show some noteworthy seriousness. This was no Giamatti being cast as a thug...Shalhoub can pull off a "tough guy" pretty well.

I've always been fond of Ed Harris, but his role was insignificant. Same for Corddry.

All in all, this was a well-made film deserving to be watched. I doubt I would ever watch it again due to it's slow development at times, but I'm glad I did see it. The casting was unexpected and unique.

The overwhelming sense I get from all the negative reviews on here is that the comedy in this true story is irresponsible and wrong. Well I think that's just a couple prunes trying to ruin a really good movie. I don't think Michael Bay set out or achieved any disrespect towards the victims. The absurd details of this case mixed with the excellent acting of the principal three actors create an extremely enjoyable movie with some laughs here and there. The editing is excellent and this movie should be rated at least a 7.1 One of the best if not the best movie Mr. Michael Bay has made. It deserves more credit.

Pain & Gain is a great movie with a very well developed storyline and an outstanding cast that have the ability both serious and funny which made them great casting for a movie I like this.Although it is very hard to believe,this is actually based on a true story,and as the movie continues it becomes more and more unbelievable,but are robed every now and again that it is actually a true story,which was clever because they obviously knew people would be thinking that throughout.This movie has different characters narrating throughout,which is something I have complained about in past reviews,I just think we should only be following one character,and when we learn about a different characters past it should still be the main character telling their story,I think it should have just been Mark Wahlberg's character telling the story instead of switching around to Dwayne Johnson,to Bar Paly and later on Ed Harris,they gave so much characters the chance to narrate which just really irritates me.The movie really is a breath of fresh air considering it is directed by Michael Bay,who's never done a movie like this before,and the characters are nothing like Mark Wahlberg,Dwayne Johnson or Anthony Mackie have played before. Pain & Gain is a very enjoyable movie that I would recommend to anyone looking for a good action or comedy.

Based on a true story about three bodybuilders who get involved in burglary and kidnapping in order to get all the money and wealthy lifestyle they desire,but to fact that none of them are particularity brainy dosen't help them.

Best Performance: Mark Wahlberg

Michael Bay's "Pain and Gain" is a very bleak, very dark comedy about three knucklehead bodybuilders in pursuit of their own American dream, even if the road there is paved with sex, drugs, torture, humiliation, and even murder.

Bay is shamelessly reputed for huge explosions, choppy editing, excessively flashy/glitzy cinematography, sexy women, fancy cars and (recently) giant robots. With "Pain and Gain" he returns to low-budget territory since his debut "Bad Boys" in 1995. The result - the film is a debauchery in style - it's all over the film. Although Bay cuts back on the explosions and robots (mercifully), everything else has Bay written all over it, and considering how morbidly ridiculous the film's subject matter is, Bay tackles it in such a head-on and energetic manner that the audience is whisked off for the insane ride ahead.

For this movie, he has assembled together Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie as the three bumble-heads who have their hearts set in the right goal but clearly lack the intellect to do so. All three men look jacked up, and play their parts as ridiculous as the part goes for it, especially Johnson, who clearly is having a blast showing off a completely different side of him as opposed to what we've been seeing him of late. Wahlberg plays a character so dangerously goofy and dumb one will wonder whether such a person exists in real life. Tony Shalhoub's unfortunate but still jerk-ish character sets the tone for most of the movie as his predicament grows from one spectrum of ridiculousness to another. By the time we've reached sexy Bar Paly's and hilarious Rebel Wilson's love interest characters, the audience have probably seen enough.

Then in comes Ed Harris as Detective Du Bois. Just when I thought the film was about to careen off the rails into insanity. He's the only sane person in the whole movie, and his presence helps bring balance and clarity to what was a ludicrous first half.

Comic relief is key in Bay's action films, but here he's going all out at comedy, and he sure does pull of the stops. The film is simply put, hysterical. The fact that it was indeed a true story makes it all the more hilarious to watch, who honestly can think of some story like this and pull if off straight?

I am aware that since this is a film, some liberties had to be made to the story and characters. Some scenes were undoubtedly exaggerated, but which one? Every scene looked and felt so surreal, every major character ridiculous, every line of dialogue inducing a chortle from the audience. But it was a dementedly fun ride, and Bay, after making two bloated sequels about giant robots, finally returns to his stride.

This black comedy is inspired by real events... but isn't as truthful as it claims. Daniel Lugo is a body builder works at a Miami gym as a personal trainer. He believes in the American dream and decides that if he can't earn the money to buy the things he wants he will steal it. His target is wealthy client Victor Kershaw, who Lugo suspects got his wealth illegally. He recruits fellow body builders Adrian Doorbal and Paul Doyle and set out his plan... they will kidnap Kershaw and force him to sign over all his possessions to them. Once they have him things don't go to plan.

Since this is a Michael Bay film one might expect lots of explosions but there are none here; there is still his usual style of direction. In some of the more comedic scenes this is effective but felt uncomfortable when things get nasty. Like most films that claim to be true it deviates from the facts of the real case. This serves to make our protagonists more sympathetic. From the start we can see that these aren't the smartest characters in town. On the plus side I did find myself laughing more than I expected and the cast does a solid job; most notably Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie as Lugo, Doyle and Doorbal respectively; I particularly liked Johnson's performance as a coke-addled bible-basher. Tony Shalhoub impressed as Kershaw and Ed Wood but in a suitably restrained performance as ex-cop private investigator Ed Du Bois, III who investigates to case and is the film's most 'normal' character. There are some decent action scenes as well as a few disturbing moments involving the dismemberment of two bodies. Overall I'd say that I enjoyed this more than expected; worth a watch if you are an adult fan of any of the stars... it's not for children!