THE PLOT THUS FAR
A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Pain & Gain” is set in the ’90s in Miami and although they had a few fluorescent colors and jean shorts, they didn’t give us quite as much topical humor as I was expecting. But the film still suits the times – with a sort of choppy but glamorous look. Rumor has it that Michael Bay used more longer takes than any of his previous films. I haven’t seen any of his recent movies, so I wouldn’t know, but this one is way more geared towards the crime-riddled plot and the comedic writing than any action that the director is known for.
This will be an entertaining film for some, probably disgusting for most, but this is an important film. At its core, this is a film about seizing the American dream and asking its audience to accept it or get lost. The film is so in your face and cruel, it demands a reaction. Michael Bay has always brought out strong feelings with cinephiles. People argue about how good and/or bad he is. He may be both, but he is the type of film maker who always brings a reaction to his viewer. The sign of a true artist. Here is a film that has so much to say regarding murder, America, greed, image, and just making it in this life; yet it’s disguised as just a regular “movie”. This is the type of movie you could sit down with your best buddies while you’re drinking beers, farting, laughing, and giggling. Pain & Gain deserves so much more. This is the American Dream on steroids.
However, there is a strange obsession with male genitalia – jokes about real ones, and many shots of fake ones to go along with a few characters’ denial of and hatred of homosexuality. I’m not sure what the point of that was. Perhaps that was part of what really happened. Unfortunately, as the narrator says, this is a true story. These muscleheads really are trying to get their piece of the American pie, the stupidest way they know how. It’s also too long – a straight forward crime comedy has no need to be over two hours long.
The Blu-Ray comes with a Digital HD copy and a ton of new featurettes exclusive to this edition. What I kind of like is how the bitrate on the disc is maxed out just like the first release. The 1080p transfer is one of the strongest of the year. Plus, you have a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 master audio track that has given my theater a workout. The special features provide a proper context for the crimes that the film is based on. However, I would’ve loved a commentary or a documentary to properly frame the material. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: 12/03/2013