Pain and Gain (2013)

[baumer]

Discuss

Edited May 2, 2013 by Telemachos

[baumer]

This is Michael Bay's Fargo, or Michael Bay channeling his inner Joel and Ethan Coen. This is the "true story" about these three knuckleheads who really did commit the crime. While reading a few interviews with Bay, he mentioned that they had to leave a lot of the story out because it was too unbelievable for an audience to accept. He wasn't kidding.I researched the real story this morning and Daniel Lugo, played by Wahlberg, is a brilliant but stupid schemer. Some of the stuff this guy pulled off is incredible. Here are a couple of links to the true stuff:http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/pain-and-gain.phphttp://www.miaminewtimes.com/1999-12-23/news/pain-gain/full/ This is the 1999 article about the crime from the Miami News.The directing and editing style in the film reminded me a bit of later Tony Scott stuff. It's fast, frenetic and relentless. This is also one of the funnier movies I've seen in quite sometime as you really can't believe these guys did this and were stupid enough to stick around after they did.I really enjoyed the film. I'm a very big Bay fan, as many of you know, and this film benefits from his style. Rock, Mark and all the rest were fantastic as well.9/10

[BiffMan]

Glad to hear it!  I almost went out this morning to go see it, but will hopefully still catch it this weekend.  Loved the trailers.

 

Is there more humor than just the bits that made the trailers?  And does Ed Harris have a decent sized role?

[AniNate]

Glad to hear it!  I almost went out this morning to go see it, but will hopefully still catch it this weekend.  Loved the trailers.

 

Is there more humor than just the bits that made the trailers?  And does Ed Harris have a decent sized role?

 

There's plenty of jokes. Not all of them hit the target but I didn't find anything too obnoxious. Ed Harris comes in about halfway through, but his role is pretty big.

 

If you can stand Bay's excess I think this is a film very much worth seeing as the absurdity of the story plays to his style. The first half is pretty uneven as it quickly shifts between the narration of many different characters, but the film really starts moving once the crime and ensuing investigation ensue. 

Edited April 26, 2013 by tribefan695

[75Live]

and here I thought I was going to be the only one that liked this film

 

I really enjoyed it.  I liked how it was shot and to me was very funny.  I like dark humor so all of that worked for me.  Plus the plain ridiculousness of some of it just has to make you laugh.

 

I think it is one of Bay's best movies.

 

The Rock was awesome in this.  I could easily watch this a few more times.

 

A-

[Leatherface]

Yeah, it was a pretty good movie. Even model turned actor Bar Paly fit her role pretty well. And damn, did she look especially hot at times. The Rock was consistently fantastic.

[baumer]

I can't believe the stuff that Lugo does in this is true...and it is...but so crazy.

[Leatherface]

The dopes were hilariously incompetent at the crime thing. The scene in which they try and kill Shalhoub was hilarious in a very dark way. Another is the chainsaw sequence and going back to Home Depot with the hair in the saw.

[baumer]

The dopes were hilariously incompetent at the crime thing. The scene in which they try and kill Shalhoub was hilarious in a very dark way. Another is the chainsaw sequence and going back to Home Depot with the hair in the saw.

And that actually happened.

[Leatherface]

And that actually happened.

 

Yep, I know. I read the article series before seeing the movie. Read it last month.

[The Movie Man]

I can't believe the stuff that Lugo does in this is true...and it is...but so crazy.

 

I know the story already...at least the true story...so I hope that doesn't ruin the movie for me???

[RobinHood26]

I liked it at first, but it got old quickly as the story didn't move. The movie felt 30 minutes to long.

 

C

[glassfairy]

I give it a B. From the first minute I could tell I would hate the direction and boy did I hate it. Bay is just the absolute worst for me. And at some points the story just felt stretched out and weirdly paced. With better direction and a tighter script it could have actually been a really good movie. The cast gave 100% and the story itself was great especially knowing it was true.

[Gopher]

Pretty good, could have been great. 

 

I loved what Bay was going for here- a twisted nightmare about the American Dream- and I think he had everything he needed here to pull it off. The three leading men are terrific, especially the Rock, who's given a surprising range to work with here and always sells it. There's some great lines, some impressive camera work, and some dark material. It's so self-assured that it felt to me like these are the movies Bay should be making and clearly the films he wants to make. 

 

I think the problem is that it's probably half an hour too long. That's not uncommon for Michael Bay, but the film reaches a point where the antics of these three idiots becomes tedious and it's hard to keep laughing at them. The middle works the strongest while the end feels incredibly stretched out. I would have liked a meatier role for Ed Harris, who almost functions as the Marge Gunderson of the movie, and less plot wrinkles and supporting characters to keep track of. 

 

But it's almost very good. That's something.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Gopher

[baumer]

Gopher, that is a fantastic review.  Very nicely done.  

[AniNate]

Who's Linda Litzke?  

Edited April 28, 2013 by tribefan695

[Gopher]

Who's Linda Litzke?  

 

Frances McDormand's character in Fargo. Basically the only good person in a world of weirdos and murderers. Ed Harris is the only 'good guy' in Pain & Gain, but he's not given much character development, which I would have liked to see. 

[AniNate]

Frances McDormand's character in Fargo. Basically the only good person in a world of weirdos and murderers. Ed Harris is the only 'good guy' in Pain & Gain, but he's not given much character development, which I would have liked to see. 

 

So you mean Marge Gunderson.

[Gopher]

Shit, I confused her character's in Burn After Reading with her name in Fargo. Ignore my stupidity. 

[BiffMan]

Finally got to see it yesterday.  Considerably darker than I was expecting, particularly when things go off the rails after the failed attempt to con the phone sex dude.  I would have liked that to be a little less drawn out, but I did enjoy the surrounding investigation by Ed Harris (need moar Ed!) and The Rock's implosion.  The armored car robbery scene was inspired and really well executed.  One of the best sequences in the movie for me.

 

Marky Mark really fit the role well and there were times were I actually stopped noticing it was him, which is pretty unusual for his films.  Hats off to The Rock.  If there were an award for Best Supporting Actor in a Complete Goofball role, he earned it.  I was completely surprised by how much range that role had to it (much more than I anticipated from the trailer) and he really sold it.  Completely believable as a ex-con, born-again Christian, compassionate addict.  He's reason enough to go see the film if you're on the fence.

 

B+