TGLM: "Pain & Gain"

Pain & Gain

Rated R (2013)

Starring:
Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie, Dwayne Johnson, Tony Shalhoub, Ed Harris

Check it out if you liked:
Bad Boys, Ocean's Eleven, The Other Guys

Plot:
Loosely based on a true story, the movie focuses on three body builders in the year 1995, and their quest to reach their own interpretations of the American dream. The three bumbling crooks, two of them ex-convicts, hatch a plan to capture a wealthy, smutty business tycoon, and get him to sign over all of his money, so they can live the rest of their lives in peace and wealth.

But in the vein of so many "criminal caper" movies, the three bumble their way into situations that they're not prepared for, and have to cope with the consequences. This movie is both hilarious, and very very dark.

Oh look you guys...an explosion in a Michael Bay movie...

The Good:
There is actually a lot of good in this movie, but what stood out to me the strongest was the acting. There really isn't a single weak link among the lead characters. Tony Shalhoub (of the TV show Monk) plays the closest thing to an antagonist that the movie has, but as it goes on, you almost start to sympathize with him. Everyone in the movie is, at some point, both the victim and the villain, and they all pull off their roles very well.

But between all of the characters, I think I was the most surprised at how great Dwayne Johnson (former professional wrestler The Rock) was. I've always felt that, since wrestling is all scripted, wrestlers would make the best actors. Well, that's not always the truth, but Dwayne Johnson has really come into his own as an actor. He's not just a bulging mass of muscles, he's proven that he can play the ass kicker, or the teddy bear. I have to say he was the shining star in the cast, in my opinion.

The plot was also a lot of fun. Now I did mention above that it is loosely based on a true story, and after reading more about what actually happened, it is a very loose interpretation, which I'll get to later. But for what happens in the movie, it is engaging from start to finish, and has plenty of unexpected twists along the way.

The Bad:
I really only had one thing that I really disliked about this movie, but it wasn't until after I saw the entire movie and started researching the real account of what happened. My problem is that director Michael Bay is a dirty liar.

Let me explain with a **SPOILER MOMENT** in the movie, so some of you may want to read this AFTER you watch it. Anyway, you've been warned.

At one point in the movie, Dwayne Johnson's character comes up with the solution to throw the hands of their murdered victims onto a grill, in order to remove their finger prints. The scene then freezes in place, and the words "This is still a true story" appear on screen. This is a blatant lie. The fact is that this scene, along with several others, were "creative additions" by Michael Bay, in order to spice up the story. So on that note, can we expect the first shot of Leonardo in the new Ninja Turtles movie to have the same caveat appear?

Now don't get me wrong, I understand that in ANY "true story" movie, creative license is taken. But when they blatantly remind you that it is based on a true story at one of the most blatantly UNTRUE moments, that really ruins things for me.

**END OF SPOILER**

My only other problem with the movie is that it tends to change its tone a lot. The fact is that the movie is a dark comedy, so I do expect this to be the case, but you know how if you're eating something salty like beef jerky, and you take a bite of something sweet like ice cream, and then go back to the beef jerky, its just not as good since the tastes keep switching? Its kind of like that. You'll be laughing, then out of nowhere, you're slammed with a really dark and heavy scene.

Overall, the movie is pretty much what I expected from it. It's a Michael Bay movie, so expect a few explosions, and pretty similar humor to Bad Boys, one of his most "recent" non-Transformer related movies.

Verdict:
6.5 out of 10

I really hate saying this, because I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, but the fact that Michael Bay so openly deceives the audience by constantly reminding the viewer that it is not "based on true events" but "IS a true story" really left a bad taste in my mouth. If you don't care though, and just want a fun story with some grit, check it out.