Movie Review: Pain & Gain

PAIN & GAIN

Painfully funny (the "Gain" is relative)

Pain & Gain was a surprising good movie. Marketed as a Mark Wahlberg/Dwayne Johnson/Michael Bay explosion-fest, it was ACTUALLY a very competent comedy about three bodybuilders looking to improve their station in life.

An American crime-comedy film, “Pain & Gain” is based on a story published in the Miami New Times by Pete Collins in 1999 (later compiled in Collins' 2013 book Pain & Gain: This is a True Story), which details the kidnapping, extortion, torture, and murder of several victims by an organized group of criminals that included several bodybuilders affiliated with Sun Gym.

Solid performances from Anthony Mackie and Rebel Wilson add to the mirthful overtones of a picture that threatened to lose its way during some of the torture (no spoiler) scenes.

I'd recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys action movies but is just in the mood for a lighter story.