Pain & Gain

Well as flattering as an exclusive early preview screening is, sometimes the film just doesn't quite live up to the hype. Sadly, as compelling as this one could have been (Mark Wahlberg, body builders, Floridian beaches, pools etc...), and despite its Hollywood A list cast and production team (Michael Bay yelling action, Wahlberg, The Rock and Ed Harris providing the on-screen mayhem), Pain and Gain still somehow falls a long way short. In fairness, the storyline is horrendously ridiculous in the extreme; three bungling fitness fanatics trying to find a shortcut to the American dream by extorting, kidnapping and murdering their way to the top. It's all a bit of a slap in the face that it's a true story, so obviously the source 'material' does somewhat limit the direction the story can take.

I'll admit, there are plenty of lad interests 'ticked off' with this film. Bucket loads of violence, plenty of sportiness, a whole heap of ridiculous humour and a bountiful supply of T&A will no doubt keep the more Neanderthal of my gender at bay, but just cramming as much guy-fodder onto a couple of hours of 35mm film is never going to make for the most interesting of affairs. Indeed, while the first 45 of Pain and Gain is enjoyable enough, the rest does descend into an over-hammed try-hard of a movie, almost pretending to be something it's not.

Tony, I'm not sure swimming is a good idea for you...

With that in mind, it's perhaps no surprise that the piece itself feels a tad over-long (although at 129 minutes, that's probably justifiable) and despite the eventual pay-off being relatively good when it does finally come full circle, the extended storyline in getting to that point does rather take the sheen off it. Coupled with a succession of gratuitous needle shots which is one thing that I will always resent, Pain & Gain was always going to be on the back foot. That said, the black comedy that is well-woven into proceedings does provide some relatively funny moments, which do probably salvage it a star or two.