PAIN & GAIN

PAIN & GAIN Review

By Darin Skaggs

     In 2013 Michael Bay made his best film.  Is that saying much though?  Bay has made several not so good films including the cheese fest that is Armageddon, the action packed and nothing more Transformers franchise and the strangely immoral Bad Boys series. 

     This time around Bay has made Pain & Gain, a film about the true life tale of Daniel Lugo played by Mark Walberg.  All Lugo wants is the American Dream.  So to get the American Dream he kidnaps rich man Victor Kershaw, played by Tony Shalhoub.  He tortures him with the help of his friend Adrian Doorbal, played by Anthony Mackie and recently out of prison and newly saved Christian Paul Doyle, played by Dwayne Johnson.  They get Kershaw to sign away his belongings.  Then he somehow escapes and the main group tries for the rest of the film not to get caught.

     This film is a comedy.  Bay in previous has not been a humorous person.  Yet, in this film his humor works.  Johnson is the funniest in the film.  Everyone gives great comedic performances.  Even Bay gets a few good jokes in there.  The opening scene is Walberg working out, the cops arrive and he is then on the run.  He, while on the chase is hit by a car.  It is filmed in slow motion, Walberg’s face is enough to make you laugh.  The choice is brilliant.  Another brilliant choice is when Bay keeps pausing the film to present text that says “This is still a true story” when the movie gets too ridiculous.

     At times it is rough to get into the comedy of the film.  The film is told from these buff body builders that have a brain the size of a peanut.  At times it seems Bay is judging these characters.  He probably is, but he is saying that stupid people doing stupid things happens all the time.  It is like it is an arty way to explore why people love those “Dumbest Criminal” shows.  These people’s goals are small.  They want a lot but their goals are small.  They want money and they get it.  Then they make many, many mistakes after that.

     The film is not going to win any awards. It probably will not be on many best of list. Yet, the film is fun and will be remembered as a crowning achievement in Bay’s filmography.