Pain and Gain (2013)

[Dementeleus]

This is odd (and a bit awkward). You know how at the end they split-screened the actors against the real people's mug-shots? Well, er, The Rock's character is a composite of several people, but instead of using one of their mug-shots, Bay got an actor to pose for the "real" one. Weird.

 

http://stmosley.blogspot.com/2013/04/pain-gain-feature-film.html

[Sam]

Just finish rewatching this movie. Really enjoy it. Ran a bit too long, some scenes are a bit excessive and could have been shortened to make the film tighter. I like all the performances, especially The Rock, who got a different role than usual and handled it well. Lugo character, who was what started it all, was a bit flat and lackluster at the end, but overall, an interesting one. The humor is good, many genuinely funny moments. The movie is pretty ambitious, got something to say, which is a surprised welcome. I hope to see Bay making more movies like this. Read somewhere it's a passion project, which is great. B+/A-

[AdamKendall]

Man, this was fucked up stuff ... I don't know how much of the real people are embellished ... I probably don't want to know ... but what a crew of degenerates.  It's like a Coen brothers movie on steroids.  I didn't love it, but I enjoyed most of it.  Performance wise, everyone was fine, but Rock stood out. 

 

B

Edited March 9, 2014 by Adam

[DAR]

Definitely good, the Rock stood out especially. Though it did feel long. But I generally liked it. B+

[Thrylos 7]

Trash. They took a very disturbing real story and made it into a comedy with cartoony characters . The worst movie of Bay he should stick to pop corn movies that have bad reviews and gain a lot of money .

[Dark Jedi Master 007]

Michael Bay's best and most ambitious film (that I have seen so far).

 

I love the way he actually tries to take a critical look at common place ideas/institutions from the American Dream to masculinity to consumerism to Christianity and so forth and so forth. Often, it's a little too heavy handed and simplistic, but I have to give Bay credit for at least trying.

I also think this is Bay's best directed film. His style completely matches what he's aiming for here. He wants to show how these guys have this unbelievably awesome life, and uses his seductive and over-the-top style to highlight that.  That style gets you on the side of the assholes. You enjoy seeing how they get the girls, the money, and the rush. In the second half, however, everything turns to shit. And not only is that shift compelling because of how it contrasts with the high that the film just took you on, but the shift also forces you to revaluate what made you enjoy everything that came before in the first place. Why were you able to stand everything you just saw in the 1st half of the film? Why are you actually rooting for Whalberg's character to get away? Those are some awesome questions to get out of an audience.

There are some issues, especially in terms of plot and character, but for its ambition and direction, I'm recommending Pain & Gain.
B






 

[dashrendar44]

Pain & Gain is Michael Bay's Fight Club.

 

Every dudebros and chumps out there will be aping Lugo's mantra about the American Dream like they swallowed at face value Tyler Durden's antisocial musings (looking like a fashion model of a western Alpha male) and they still totally don't get that they're actually the butts of the joke and not the entitled heroes.

Edited October 31, 2014 by dashrendar44

[Mango]

I quite liked this movie. Probably my favorite Bayhem flick. Lots of fun cinematography showing off the lush colors and natural beauty of Miami. The three leads nailed it, especially The Rock. It's a darkly comic look at the corruption of the American Dream. 

 

B+. Bay really needs to do more movies like this.

[Goffe]

Bay's style wasn't right for this movie, the "breathless pace" he loves makes you feel every minute of the film, there's no rhythm and/or synchrony, becoming as big bore the minute you get tired of that gimmicky, which was the first 20 minutes for me. It's the exactly opposite of what Michael Bay is going for, which is not bore audiences.

It has a good humor, though.

 

Pearl Harbor 80/100

Transformers 70/100

Bad Boys 50/100

Pain and Gain 50/100

Transformers 3 45/100

The Island 40/100

The Rock 35/100

Transformers 2 30/100

Armageddon 20/100 

 

[Kosko]

This movie was completely the opposite of how I thought it was going to be and I actually shut it off before it was over. I NEVER do that 3-4/10

[bartonfink]

Bizarrely fascinating masterpiece. Bay's filmography constantly deals with naive Americanism and it's the one of apexes in the daring manner. Such a clownish yet acute depiction.

[Maxmoser3]

Pretty damn good movie. Really enjoyed the cast, Michael Bay's last good movie. Grade:B+