Every once in a while a film comes along that is just so bizarre, so odd, that it totally takes me by surprise and reminds we why I love movies so much. Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's new movie, Pain & Gain is just such a flick. It was simultaneously hilarious on the blackest level, genuinely unpleasant and totally bizarre. This is a movie in the vein of Fargo, The Bank Job, Blue Velvet and Suicide Kings, but, hold on to your hats, it's a TRUE story (or at least as true as Hollywood gets). I laughed, I winced, and I felt like I needed a shower at the end, but I was NEVER bored. The basic story is that three rather stupid muscle heads in early 90's Miami get it in their heads to kidnap a local businessman, rob him of all his possessions and then let him go so they can have their piece of the American Dream. But, as fate would have it, things do not go as planned and go horribly awry. What follows next includes: murders, shoot outs with cops, steroid-induced impotency, chases, strippers, the CIA, off-shore bank accounts, a purple van, Home Depot, over a million dollars, breast implants, a dog running away with a toe, private eyes, green ninjas, and an impromptu BBQ that has to be seen to believed.
If all this sounds a little weird, than I am drastically underselling the plot. This is a Michael Bay movie, after all, and subtlety has never really been his thing. The movie is beautifully shot and stylistically fluid, filled with crackling dialogue worthy of Quentin Tarantino. As the movie states at the beginning and reminds us later, this is a true story. While it does not exactly follow the true events and exploits of the Sun Gym Gang case in Miami, the most pertinent facts are essentially correct as recorded by Miami Herald reporter Pete Collins in his article series of the same name. It is more than just a true rough outline like Fargo, but isn't a faithful recount of the events that actually happened, ether. But it is close enough, and shows that truth can be stranger than fiction.
Now, why four stars when I recently rated the great 42 with only 3.5? Because this movie appealed to my weird side. It came out of the blue and totally enthralled me. Stories like these are why I continue to love films. Yes, I felt dirty after having seen it, but great movies, like great art, are supposed to elicit reactions. I have seen a lot of films over the years, and it takes a lot to make a dent in me, but when one does, wow, is it a ride! I would caution people who want to see it, however. I have very eclectic tastes, and this movie falls into one of the more outré I've seen. The subject matter and what transpires is genuinely unpleasant, with few, if any sympathetic characters in the story. If you have more evolved sensibilities than mine, you will probably detest this film. That said, it is also insanely funny from the blackest of black humor and interesting precisely because it is so odd. It is definitely NOT for all tastes. But if you think you can stomach it, I would highly recommend it to you when you're feeling for something a bit more off-kilter.
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