You know what you get with a Michael Bay film. For the past couple of decades, the man has delivered some of the biggest and most explosive action pictures of all time. All of his films have a hot, flashy, fast-paced appeal, usually with generous helpings of stupid comedy and gratuitous fan service.
Now off the hook from all the (arguably shallow) Transformers films, Bay turns to Pain and Gain, a personal side project. And for once, he's made a film totally stripped of fights, chases, battles, and explosions. There are just a few major action scenes, but they're kept short and to-the-point. That ultimately leaves the style and humor to drive the film, and if you're familiar with Bay's other films, you'll either find this really awesome or really awful. The most critical of audiences will find this tiresome after a while, but for established fans and audiences who can stand the crass, obnoxious directorial style, then the film is pure gold.
This film is based on a true story...in the same sense that Pearl Harbor is based on a true story. The actual events behind Pain and Gain is a strange case, and a lot of is is translated on the big screen, but it has a lot of stylistic excess and exaggeration. Some characters and events are flipped around to suit the film. If you aren't already familiar with the story, this crime movie showcases a bunch of motivated bodybuilders kidnapping a guy and forcing him to give up everything he owns. The grim and violent torture scenes (which really aren't as bloody or brutal as most other films I've seen) are often offset with the comedy, and it can be a pretty odd mix. It's also a bit of a stretch to really root for these guys, given that they're essentially bullies with all brawn and no brain. However, there is a certain charm to the thing, in the same respect that there's a charm to the kidnappers in Fargo. By the end, there's a certain "crime doesn't pay" theme that ensures that these fools got what they deserved. It ultimately supports an even larger theme concerning the American dream: the film gently harps on the notion that you must work hard to get to where you're at.
As a film, you can definitely expect an overdose of style: lots of crazy camera angles, fast cuts, some shakey cam for the action scenes, some visual asides, slow-motion...it's got the whole works here. Acting and writing are often amusing and exaggerated, for entertaining effect. This film features some really slick-looking sets, props, and costumes. Music is all kinds of awesome too.
This film pretty much delivered everything I expected: even though I find the story and the themes of the American dream pretty interesting, it's the style and silly comedy that keeps it running fast and fun. Regular Michael Bay haters will easily dismiss this, but fans will embrace it. If you aren't sure, just watch the trailer, and you'll see how it is.
4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Good | Film: Good)
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