Pain and Gain Review

21st Aug 2013

Michael Bay at long last takes a step down from the huge budget sci-fi actioneers he is commonly associated for this much smaller scale, yet eerily Michael Bay-flavoured crime-caper.

Based on true events (a note that pops up about ¾ of the way through the film to serve not only as a reminder, but also one of the films best gags) we follow a small (and we use the term “small” lightly here) group of body builders out to better themselves, not just physically, but financially as well by robbing the rich and, well, giving to themselves.

Leader of this group is a very serious, and very strung out Daniel Lugo (Mark “Wahlberg). Also along for the ride is co-worker Adrian Doorbal (a supremely muscle inflated Anthony Mackie) and born again, er, something, ex-convict Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson). The trio set about committing fraud and setting up their scams to get rich quick.

The issue is that the film is perhaps aping what flows through the veins of these three testosterone-fuelled nutters in the editing as well. It’s easy enough and all signposted to follow, but it’s a headache of a ride getting there, like diving into a sugar-filled primary colour painted spring-break video.

All along the way we are rarely treated to anyone we want to sympathise with. The three leads are all full of error, their targets are perhaps even worse. What we have then are the incidents themselves and the laughs they produce; which in the first half of the film are few and far.

Despite its flaws – this is probably as close as Michael Bay will get to compelling storytelling with drama –. He’s not afraid to step away from the kid friendly dumb – be he seems to always have a foot rooted in bright colours and acid fuelled editing. At least with Pain and Gain the characters excuse the tempo kept by Bay. One can instantly see how much better this story would have been with a Paul Thomas Anderson at the helm instead.

Mark Wahlberg, like Mackie, impresses in the amount of body muscle he’s put on for the role and plays a deliberately dislikeable clown in the lead, but Dwayne Johnson is a true revelation playing an even dumber man but with more complexity to his goals in life. If the price of the ticket is worth any performance, then it’s his.