Movie Reviews: "Pain and Gain" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 04-26-2013, 05:38 PM

Movie Reviews: Pain and Gain

Critics are split just about down the middle over Michael Bay’s Pain and Gain with some of them expressing their own mixed feelings about it.

Slate critic Dana Stevens writes:

“I’m still not sure whether to mildly like or mildly hate this movie.”

Simon Abrams in the Chicago Sun-Times describes it as:

“ambitious and vibrant as it is ugly and scattershot.”

A.O. Scott in the New York Times can’t seem to wrap his head around the movie.

“It all leaves you pondering whether you have just seen a monumentally stupid movie or a brilliant movie about the nature and consequences of stupidity.”

The New York Post‘s Kyle Smith, who acknowledges that he’s never been a fan of Michael Bay movies (“Bay puts the ow in loud, the sham in shameless and the bull in predictable”) remarks that Pain and Gain represents a turnaround for Bay.

“It's a film that is fast, smart, wicked, sort of ambitious and blazingly ironic … and as hilarious as me on the bench press.”

Betsy Sharkey in the Los Angeles Times writes that the trio Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Anthony Mackie and Mark Wahlberg:

“are really thick in every sense of the word. It makes for some stupid/slap-shtick fun of the Stooges variety — that is, if Larry, Curly and Moe had been hunky gym rats engaged in illegal activity.”

Rene Rodriguez in the Miami Herald writes that the three characters:

“would make the Three Stooges seem smart.”

David Hiltbrand in the Philadelphia Inquirer is one of several critics who point out that the film is based on a true incident in which a man was kidnapped, murdered, and his body dismembered.

The film starts off with “considerable energy and wit,” Hiltbrand writes, but when the murder occurs, it amounts to an abrupt switch. Bay, he writes, “doesn’t seem to realize the film has gotten away from him. He’s still trying to maintain the same jaunty tone even after the content’s gone gruesome.”

Rafer Guzmán in the New York Daily News reaches the same conclusion.

“As the action grows rougher, bloodier, then downright ghastly, Bay maintains a broad-humored, wacky tone that begins to feel, as some real-life victims and their kin have complained, insensitive.”

In the end, he says, “you may feel the grisly laughs sticking in your throat.”

-IMDB News

isiahthomas · 04-28-2013, 10:15 AM

I'm gonna wait for this to come to video. What's up with those stupid costumes that Mark Wahlberg, The Rock, Anthony Mackie wear to rob people in the previews? The Rock is making a lot of money right now. He not too long ago did Snitch and GIJOE movies. He also has Fast and the Furious 6 coming out next month.

04-26-2013, 05:38 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,168	Movie Reviews: "Pain and Gain" Movie Reviews: Pain and Gain Critics are split just about down the middle over Michael Bay’s Pain and Gain with some of them expressing their own mixed feelings about it. Slate critic Dana Stevens writes: “I’m still not sure whether to mildly like or mildly hate this movie.” Simon Abrams in the Chicago Sun-Times describes it as: “ambitious and vibrant as it is ugly and scattershot.” A.O. Scott in the New York Times can’t seem to wrap his head around the movie. “It all leaves you pondering whether you have just seen a monumentally stupid movie or a brilliant movie about the nature and consequences of stupidity.” The New York Post‘s Kyle Smith, who acknowledges that he’s never been a fan of Michael Bay movies (“Bay puts the ow in loud, the sham in shameless and the bull in predictable”) remarks that Pain and Gain represents a turnaround for Bay. “It's a film that is fast, smart, wicked, sort of ambitious and blazingly ironic … and as hilarious as me on the bench press.” Betsy Sharkey in the Los Angeles Times writes that the trio Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Anthony Mackie and Mark Wahlberg: “are really thick in every sense of the word. It makes for some stupid/slap-shtick fun of the Stooges variety — that is, if Larry, Curly and Moe had been hunky gym rats engaged in illegal activity.” Rene Rodriguez in the Miami Herald writes that the three characters: “would make the Three Stooges seem smart.” David Hiltbrand in the Philadelphia Inquirer is one of several critics who point out that the film is based on a true incident in which a man was kidnapped, murdered, and his body dismembered. The film starts off with “considerable energy and wit,” Hiltbrand writes, but when the murder occurs, it amounts to an abrupt switch. Bay, he writes, “doesn’t seem to realize the film has gotten away from him. He’s still trying to maintain the same jaunty tone even after the content’s gone gruesome.” Rafer Guzmán in the New York Daily News reaches the same conclusion. “As the action grows rougher, bloodier, then downright ghastly, Bay maintains a broad-humored, wacky tone that begins to feel, as some real-life victims and their kin have complained, insensitive.” In the end, he says, “you may feel the grisly laughs sticking in your throat.” -IMDB News

04-28-2013, 10:15 AM	#2
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	I'm gonna wait for this to come to video. What's up with those stupid costumes that Mark Wahlberg, The Rock, Anthony Mackie wear to rob people in the previews? The Rock is making a lot of money right now. He not too long ago did Snitch and GIJOE movies. He also has Fast and the Furious 6 coming out next month.