Bay's Pain and Gain.

[JonWes]

I don't know how you can find any of these people at all likable, sans Johnson's character. But even then....he was dumb enough where you didn't feel too bad for him.

I don't think I found anyone all that likable. I agree they painted the main guys as more incompetent idiots more than anything. And I get it's dark comedy. But we don't know the one guy who made a living from being a phone sex operator and his girlfriend, right? I think the girlfriend is what bothered me the most. She gets pumped full of horse tranquilizer (which is treated as wacky) and then they cut out her breast implants (woop woop) and chop her up (hee hee) and put her in a barrel. Again, if this is not based on an actual person, I can go there. It's dark comedy. I get that. But can't you understand someone having a SHRED of angst about the fact that this woman likely has a mother or sister or brother who mourned them and probably still mourns them, and that there's something slightly tacky and tasteless that she was turned into some big-boobed laughing stock who had all the above done to her? Maybe she wasn't a nice person. Maybe she was just like what was portrayed in the movie (even then, I didn't see anything that meant she deserved to die or was a bad person). But I'm sure her family doesn't need that floating around and I'm sure it's painful for them.

That's my issue. I don't begrudge anyone for enjoying it purely without this baggage. I wish I could have. And I still enjoyed it, but there was that ping of uncomfortableness in the back of my head.

 

[crows]

Jeremy Jahns reviews are usually quite fair, I like the guy. He made some valid points about this film too.

I like him too. His reviews are usually spot on too, I know some people don't like the way he talks, but that doesn't bother me at all. I don't get why some people hate him so much.

 

[CelticPredator]

I don't think I found anyone all that likable. I agree they painted the main guys as more incompetent idiots more than anything. And I get it's dark comedy. But we don't know the one guy who made a living from being a phone sex operator and his girlfriend, right? I think the girlfriend is what bothered me the most. She gets pumped full of horse tranquilizer (which is treated as wacky) and then they cut out her breast implants (woop woop) and chop her up (hee hee) and put her in a barrel. Again, if this is not based on an actual person, I can go there. It's dark comedy. I get that. But can't you understand someone having a SHRED of angst about the fact that this woman likely has a mother or sister or brother who mourned them and probably still mourns them, and that there's something slightly tacky and tasteless that she was turned into some big-boobed laughing stock who had all the above done to her? Maybe she wasn't a nice person. Maybe she was just like what was portrayed in the movie (even then, I didn't see anything that meant she deserved to die or was a bad person). But I'm sure her family doesn't need that floating around and I'm sure it's painful for them.

That's my issue. I don't begrudge anyone for enjoying it purely without this baggage. I wish I could have. And I still enjoyed it, but there was that ping of uncomfortableness in the back of my head.

The movie wanted you to feel that way. That's the point. The film never said once "WEE YEAH! MURDER IS FUN! YEAH MAN!" it was a tragic tale of incompetence, that is also so out there, it ends up being comical. But you should never let that fact in the back of your mind go. That's a good thing.

Also, the family didn't need to see it. Why would they want too? It's been what...20 years since the event....they probably aren't thinking about it 24/7. I'm sure they've long since moved on. The film DOES make you feel sorry for these people because they died for no reason. No logical reason. That makes the main characters completely horrible, and you're just laughing at all the ways they set up their own downfall.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't really feel in anyway the same. Because it doesn't offend me. But it did disgust me.

Sure, the movie's fun when it's fun...but I think for the most part, aside from a few (realish) moments, the terrible acts are done fairly tastefully. They did really **** up the chainsaw and had to take it back. That's pretty hilarious. Them cutting up the bodies. Not so much. Hence why it was done the way it was.

Even reading the story, I found myself laughing at how dumb these people are. It's the way it was written. The film is funnier then the story, that's true....but I eh. I feel like this controversy is going a little far. This is a crazy story worth sharing. Sometimes in the darkest moments, there is comedy.




And the reason people probably hate Jeremy is because he misses the point. Which he did.

 

[Mightytrex]

I saw it opening day. I gave it a 7/10 not bad. Much better than his last 2 Transformers movies IMO...

 

[CelticPredator]

It's pretty much a fact, i'd say.

It's a shame he has to make Transformers 4 as a part of a deal to make this. Oh well.

 

[crows]

Was there a reason for Bay to choose this story for the movie? Just made me curious since some people are not happy with it.

 

[EVILFACE]

I read the story, and it's still funny..

I had no interest in seeing this until I read the story. It's like a idiot version of Breaking Bad. They make these elaborate plans and then something ****s it up and they have to resort to some crazy scheme to ......somewhat.... remedy it.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

I want to see this

 

[JonWes]

The movie wanted you to feel that way. That's the point. The film never said once "WEE YEAH! MURDER IS FUN! YEAH MAN!" it was a tragic tale of incompetence, that is also so out there, it ends up being comical. But you should never let that fact in the back of your mind go. That's a good thing.

Oh, I don't disagree. That's why I said in my first comment that I think what Bay does here is actually pretty interesting because of that, if that was his intention. But even if you can make the case that doing this story in this way has artistic merit and entertainment value (which I definitely think it does) I just couldn't ignore the human toll of it on this one. But, as I said, it didn't really impede my enjoyment.

I think there's just a very fine line you walk with this sort of thing. I do think there's something quite crass about it. And that just makes me a bit uncomfortable as a viewer of entertainment. I feel the same way about some reality TV (though less so since the contestants chose to be on it) too. I find it an interesting discussion. Much more interesting than you'd think a Michael Bay movie would elicit. LOL.

 

[CelticPredator]

Was there a reason for Bay to choose this story for the movie? Just made me curious since some people are not happy with it.

Well, he lives in Miami. And this was during the time he was making Bad Boys, so i'm sure he heard about it. He found the story very Cohen Brothers esq, which he's a HUGE fan of. So he wanted to make his Cohen Brothers movie.

 

[EVILFACE]

So what you are saying is, if the Cohen brothers made this, people would be screaming for $900 Rainman Marky Mark and The Rock figures?

 

[CelticPredator]

Of course they would. But it's Michael Bay, so it's automatically terrible, apparently.

 

[crows]

Well, he lives in Miami. And this was during the time he was making Bad Boys, so i'm sure he heard about it. He found the story very Cohen Brothers esq, which he's a HUGE fan of. So he wanted to make his Cohen Brothers movie.

that makes sense.

 

[Rotfish]

Of course they would. But it's Michael Bay, so it's automatically terrible, apparently.

Pretty much.

 

[CelticPredator]

Stupid on humanity's part.

 

[crows]

interesting review:

https://redlettermedia.com/half-in-the-bag-iron-man-3-and-pain-gain/

seems like they didn't like it too much.

 

[CelticPredator]

no ****. and i disagreed with every word they said. but hey. we're not always going to agree, and i still have mad respect for them. they are still my favorite.

 

[crows]

I was a little bit surprised how harsh they were. I think this might be the harshest review they have done in some ways.

 

[CelticPredator]

they hate everything Michael Bay. Its the one thing we'll always disagree with.

 

[Niltusk]

This movie was like America's dumbest criminals on crack.
Crazy flick, but I could have waited to see this on vid. How they made it as far as they did... God bless American law enforcement.