Why not start the new year off with a real stinker?
Check out the trailer for Pain and Gain, the new film by Michael Bay. (If that doesn't say stinker I don't know what does)
Seriously Mark Wahlberg. Is this what your acting career has come to?
Pain and Gain is based on a true story about a group of Florida steroid-abusing bodybuilders who become involved in an extortion ring and kidnapping plot that, yep you guessed it, goes wrong.
My first thought when watching this trailer was "what the hell is this supposed to be?". I can't decide if this film is supposed to be a comedy or an action or a little of both. Do I take it seriously? Then Rebel Wilson shows up and I realize there is no way this film can be taken seriously.
From this trailer, the film seems to have a serious identity crisis, and not just because it can't decide what genre it belongs to. The filming style is completely all over the place. But is that not the M.O. of Michael Bay? Shoot the film in a whole bunch of different styles, slap some big name actors to the cast, round it out with some shots of scantily clad women and have an explosion in every other scene and you're good to go!
But in all seriousness, I am really disappointed in Wahlberg for being a part of this film. Over the past few years, it seemed that he was making smarter choices about his film roles. But with this role, he seems to be digressing back to the 90s (both literally and metaphorically as this film takes place in the 90s) where he was "Marky Mark" and hardly anyone took him seriously. He has proven himself a formidable action star, who actually has some decent acting talent (in more serious roles such as Mickey Ward in The Fighter or Sean Dignamn in The Departed) and a likable comedic actor (he was downright hilarious in The Other Guys and Ted). In this role, he looks to be trying to combine the two genres he has conquered and it doesn't seem to be working.
The addition of Dwayne Johnson is not surprising - he takes whatever role is offered to him. Sometimes it works in his favour, most times it does not. Looks like another stinker to add to your stellar collection, Mr. Johnson.
Additions of Wilson and Ken Jeong to the supporting cast won't help save this film. It is written in the stars - this film will bomb. Sorry Wahlberg and Johnson. Even your decision to not take salaries and take back ends on the films profits was a mistake. You won't be seeing much in your pocket after this one.
Check out the film's official page here or the wikipedia page here.
Sgt. Sean Dignam
2 comments:
I disagree. I think, if it's released at the right time (i.e. a slow.summer weekend), this could be fairly successful. People enjoy these movies with familiar faces and explosions and women in bikinis.
Success for this film is a relative term - if people go and see it, and people will, it will be successful. But not in comparison to what the actors usual salary would be for making a film. (Wahlberg makes about 28 million per movie. I don't foresee him reaching that goal)
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