--- title: "Pain & Gain" year: 2013 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/pain-and-gain" fi1m_id: "pain-and-gain" imdb_id: "tt1980209" tmdb_id: 134374 wikidata_id: "Q766427" fi1m_score: 56 critics_score: 57 critics_reviews: 25 published: "2026-10-06T04:24:26.607469+00:00" updated: "2026-10-06T04:24:27.177405+00:00" region: "AU" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Pain & Gain (2013) Directed by Michael Bay · 2h 10m · ACB MA15+ · Comedy, Crime, Action ## Identity Pain & Gain - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/pain-and-gain - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** pain-and-gain - **IMDb ID:** tt1980209 - **TMDB ID:** 134374 - **Wikidata ID:** Q766427 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1980209/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/134374, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q766427 **Fi1m score: 56** · Critics 57 from 25 reviews *In a sentence:* Every man is shot from the knee up like a monument, and every one of them is an idiot > Michael Bay’s comedy about Miami bodybuilders who kidnapped a rich man is loud, often funny and well cast, with Dwayne Johnson its unexpected heart. It is also 130 minutes long and never decides how it feels about the real people it laughs at. ## Synopsis Miami in the mid-1990s. Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg), a personal trainer with a fraud conviction behind him, talks his way into a job at Sun Gym, promises to triple its membership and sits through a motivational seminar from Johnny Wu (Ken Jeong) that tells him to be a doer. His richest client is Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), a loud, mean businessman who is rude to anyone who serves him. Lugo decides Kershaw’s money should be his. He recruits Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie), a fellow trainer whose steroids have cost him in the bedroom, and Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), an ex-convict fresh out of prison and newly devout. The plan is to grab Kershaw and make him sign over everything he owns. The first attempts, in disguise and in daylight, go badly. ## Review Michael Bay took a break from giant robots to make this. The story, from a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, is a true one: in Miami in the mid-1990s a gang of bodybuilders kidnapped a rich man, held him for weeks and took everything he owned. Bay films it as a comedy about idiots. The idiots are funny and the cast is good, and the film never settles what we are meant to feel about the people they hurt. It runs 130 minutes, which is about half an hour longer than the joke. Dwayne Johnson is the reason to see it. Paul Doyle is an ex-convict who found God in prison and lost his taste for cocaine, and who has the bad luck to be the gang’s only conscience. Johnson plays him big and soft, a man who weeps when he hurts someone and then hurts someone else because Lugo asked nicely. Mark Wahlberg’s Lugo is the opposite, all plan and no doubt, a trainer who has mistaken a seminar for a philosophy, and Wahlberg reads the voiceover like a man enjoying his own eulogy. Anthony Mackie’s Doorbal is the quiet third, chasing a cure for what the steroids have done to him. Tony Shalhoub’s Kershaw is the film’s problem and knows it. Shalhoub makes him so unpleasant, so loud about his money and so rude to everyone who serves him, that the script can hope we will enjoy watching him suffer. Ed Harris arrives late as Ed DuBois, a retired private investigator, speaking at half the speed of everyone else, and the film steadies the moment he does. He is the only person on screen who seems to think any of this is serious. Bay shoots this exactly as he shoots everything. Ben Seresin films the gang from the knee up against hot blue skies, the sun flaring over their shoulders, the colours pushed until the skin looks oiled. Jeffrey Beecroft’s Sun Gym is chrome, neon and mirrors; Kershaw’s house is white marble and money. Deborah Lynn Scott and Colleen Kelsall dress the men in vests two sizes too small and the women in less. The point is that these men see themselves as the heroes of a Michael Bay film, and Bay gives them one. It is a decent joke, and he tells it for two hours. Joel Negron and Tom Muldoon cut it with freeze frames, captions and three competing narrators, so the film keeps pausing to let someone explain what has just gone wrong. Steve Jablonsky’s score pumps along underneath, which suits the gym and undercuts the warehouse. The warehouse is where the film gets into trouble. Kershaw’s weeks in captivity are played for laughs, and some of the laughs are good; we laughed at Johnson praying over a man he had just helped to beat, and then remembered the man was real, and felt slightly sick. The film does not notice. It carries on grinning. The second half takes a turn we will not describe. It is darker than anything before it, and the tone does not change to meet it. The middle hour sags while the gang spend their money, and the jokes repeat: Rebel Wilson’s Ramona is a gag about appetite, Bar Paly’s Sorina a gag about dimness, and both are asked to do the same thing four or five times. Ken Jeong’s Johnny Wu, the seminar guru who tells Lugo to be a doer, is the one piece of satire that works all the way through, because nobody gets hurt in it. Critics have split almost down the middle on whether Bay is in on the joke. We think he is in on half of it. He knows the men are ridiculous and films them as ridiculous. He does not seem to know that the same camera makes them glamorous, and that a good part of the audience will go home wanting the cars. See it for Johnson, and for a first hour that is sharper than we expected from him. Then decide for yourself when the laughing should have stopped, because the film will not tell you. *Fi1m score 56, published 6 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics come away divided on Pain & Gain, and the reviews settle mainly in the middle. What praise there is clusters on the cast. Dwayne Johnson is the name mentioned most often, admired for a performance that is both funny and unexpectedly sincere, and Mark Wahlberg’s comic turn draws warm notices too. Bay’s direction is credited with energy and visual flair even by reviewers who find the whole thing exhausting, and several single out individual set pieces. The reservations are about tone and length. Many find the film overlong, and the mix of slapstick with a brutal true-crime story troubles reviewers across the spectrum; several question whether Bay is knowingly mocking his own excess or simply indulging it. The spread is wide. The New Yorker calls it an exuberant success, while The Hollywood Reporter finds the satire ham-fisted and Digital Spy dismisses it as crass and misogynistic, with Ed Harris its one bright spot. ## Straight answers **Is Pain & Gain worth watching?** *Pain & Gain* is worth watching only for Dwayne Johnson and a sharp first hour, and we scored it 56. Michael Bay's comedy about Miami bodybuilders who kidnapped a rich man is loud, often funny and well cast, but it runs 130 minutes and never decides how it feels about the real people it laughs at. **How long is Pain & Gain, and what is it rated?** *Pain & Gain* runs 2h 10m and is rated MA15+ by the ACB in Australia. It is a comedy and crime film. **Where can I watch Pain & Gain in Australia?** *Pain & Gain* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from A$2.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Pain & Gain, and is it suitable for children?** *Pain & Gain* is a 15 in the UK and R in the US, and it is not for children. A man is held captive for weeks and beaten, played for laughs that turn sour, the second half gets darker still, and the sex, drug and steroid jokes are blunt throughout. Older teenagers who can take the tone will manage; the squeamish will not. **How does Pain & Gain compare to Fargo?** *Pain & Gain* and [*Fargo*](https://film.one/film/fargo) are both true-crime kidnaps carried out by idiots, and *Fargo* is the better film by some distance. The Coens knew when to stop laughing and gave their film a sensible person to root for; Bay keeps grinning through the violence and offers nobody to care about but a weeping Dwayne Johnson. Choose *Fargo* unless you specifically want the oiled, neon Miami version. **What should I watch after Pain & Gain?** After *Pain & Gain*, try [*Fargo*](https://film.one/film/fargo) (1996, Fi1m 91): Another true-crime kidnap by idiots, told by people who knew when to stop laughing. Then [*The Wolf of Wall Street*](https://film.one/film/the-wolf-of-wall-street) (2013, Fi1m 82): Three hours of appetite and fraud; Scorsese knows exactly whom he is laughing at; and [*Wild Tales*](https://film.one/film/wild-tales) (2014, Fi1m 83): Six Argentine stories of ordinary people losing it, each funnier and crueller than this. ### Reviews we read (25) - **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (85/100, inferred): Brody finds the film a raucous, unusually exuberant success, praising Bay’s lively, freewheeling approach to its true-crime story. He notes that some comic exaggerations are crude, but singles out the performances and colorful details as especially effective. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/michael-bays-exuberant-pain-gain) - **Vulture**, David Edelstein (75/100, inferred): Edelstein liked the film and strongly recommends it to viewers willing to overlook its excesses. He praises Mark Wahlberg’s comic performance, while criticizing the film’s sleazy exploitation and queasy mix of satire, slapstick, and violence. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2013/04/movie-review-pain-gain.html) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (70/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the crime comedy entertaining and zingy, though overlong and occasionally unsure of its own joke. He praises Mark Wahlberg’s comic performance and notes Dwayne Johnson’s unexpectedly funny turn. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/29/pain-and-gain-review) - **Empire**, Mark Dinning (65/100, inferred): Dinning finds the film entertaining and inventive, though its middle section grows flabby and muddled. He praises Bay’s spectacular visual flair and the cast’s joyful performances of the story’s grotesque characters. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/pain-gain-review/) - **Evening Standard** (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film overlong and unevenly Bay-ish, but ultimately fascinating. They praise its smart, disturbing satire and the performers’ ability to make the chaotic gang strangely sympathetic. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/pain-gain-film-review-8791188.html) - **Film Comment**, Max Kyburz (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a review but does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It provides no accessible praise or complaint to summarize. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/review-pain-gain-michael-bay/) - **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page returned a browser-check screen, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. No praise or complaint from the review is available in the provided page text. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/pain-and-gain-2013) - **Screen Daily**, Brent Simon (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as Screen's review of the 2013 film. The review text is behind a registration wall, so its verdict and specific praise or complaint are unavailable. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/pain-and-gain/5054146.article) - **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page content is unavailable, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No praised or criticized element can be verified from the provided text. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/26/movies/michael-bays-pain-gain-with-mark-wahlberg.html) - **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager (2.5/4): Schager finds the film riotous and repugnant, while questioning whether Bay is knowingly satirizing his own excesses. He praises the performances and the film’s energetic mockery of its deluded protagonists, but faults its troubling stereotypes and ambiguity. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/pain-and-gain/) - **Sight and Sound**, Nick Pinkerton (60/100, inferred): Pinkerton finds the film deeply conflicted and fitfully brilliant, though often frustrating. He praises Bay’s cinematic flair, while faulting the way its farcical treatment undercuts the grim true-crime material. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/low-film-week-pain-gain) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (3/5): The review gives the film three out of five stars, suggesting a mixed verdict. The available page text does not reveal what the critic singled out for praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/pain-gain) - **Total Film**, James Mottram (3/5): Mottram finds the film exhausting and over-the-top, but acknowledges its undeniable allure. He particularly praises a brilliantly staged sequence that moves between adjacent rooms, and singles out Dwayne Johnson’s performance. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/pain-gain-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (50/100, inferred): Sharkey finds the film a mix of stupid fun and excess, with uneven results. She praises Dwayne Johnson’s comic performance but says the brutality can be tough to stomach. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2013-apr-25-la-et-pain-and-gain-20130426-story.html) - **Variety**, Scott Foundas (50/100, inferred): Foundas finds the film vulgar, often funny, and visually distinctive, but ultimately uneven and numbing. He praises Wahlberg’s performance while faulting the underdeveloped subtext and violence that drains the film’s energy. [Read](https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/pain-gain-review-1200391657/) - **Little White Lies**, Adam Nayman (3/2/2): Nayman finds the satire shallow, obnoxious and poorly balanced by its moralising ending. He singles out Dwayne Johnson’s comic performance and a striking shot of Daniel brooding underwater as bright spots. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/pain-gain) - **Radio Times**, Dave Aldridge (2/5): The critic finds the caper hyperactive and tonally uneven. Bay’s mix of Three Stooges-style slapstick with much less pleasant material is singled out as a drawback. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-aquxdv/pain-gain/) - **The AV Club**, Nathan Rabin (30/100, inferred): Rabin finds the film a loud, vulgar celebration of aggression that loses its satirical and social ambitions in mindless spectacle. He praises Dwayne Johnson’s performance for its sincere, poignant humanity, which contrasts with the film’s grating visual style. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/pain-gain-1798176583) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (20/100, inferred): The critic finds the film ham-fisted and overlong, with little effective satire or cultural insight. He singles out the neighborhood-watch scene as one of its few genuinely amusing moments. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/pain-gain-film-review-443924/) - **HeyUGuys**, Stefan Pape (4/5): Pape finds the film highly entertaining and praises its energetic direction, though he notes that making light of real victims leaves an uncomfortable aftertaste. He singles out Dwayne Johnson’s performance and Bay’s inventive camerawork for particular praise. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/pain-and-gain-review/) - **The Skinny**, Chris Fyvie (★★★★): The review finds the film a scabrous, entertaining satire, though it wonders whether Bay’s apparent self-awareness is genuine. It praises the cast and the film’s absurd, jet-black script. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/pain-gain) - **The Wrap**, Alonso Duralde (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film entertaining and funny, despite its overlong running time. The cast’s comic performances, especially Dwayne Johnson’s, are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/pain-gain-review-funny-bloated-three-stooges-massive-pecs-87806/) - **/Film**, Germain Lussier (6.5/10): The critic finds the film uneven but ultimately entertaining, with its wild second half making up for a shaky start. He singles out Dwayne Johnson’s complex, captivating performance for praise. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/525771/pain-and-gain-review-michael-bays-uneven-oddly-entertaining-tale-of-murder-and-muscles/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (2/5): The critic judges the film as visually appealing but dramatically misjudged and morally uneasy. He singles out Bay’s glossy, sunlit style as a superficial gloss on a grim true story. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/pain-gain-review/) - **Digital Spy**, Ben Rawson-Jones (10/100, inferred): The critic pans the film as overlong, execrable, and crassly written. They single out Ed Harris as its sole bright spot, while condemning its misogyny and crude stereotyping. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a510892/pain-gain-review-michael-bays-latest-is-all-pain-no-gain/) ## Details - **Director:** Michael Bay - **Director:** Michael Bay - **Screenplay:** Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely - **Cinematography:** Ben Seresin - **Editor:** Joel Negron, Tom Muldoon - **Music:** Steve Jablonsky - **Production design:** Jeffrey Beecroft - **Costume design:** Colleen Kelsall, Deborah Lynn Scott - **Producer:** Michael Bay, Donald De Line, Ian Bryce - **Cast:** Mark Wahlberg as Daniel Lugo; Dwayne Johnson as Paul Doyle; Anthony Mackie as Adrian Doorbal; Tony Shalhoub as Victor Kershaw; Ed Harris as Ed DuBois; Rob Corddry as John Mese; Bar Paly as Sorina Luminita; Rebel Wilson as Ramona Eldridge - **Runtime:** 2h 10m - **Certificate (ACB):** MA15+ - **Release (Australia):** 8 August 2013 - **Genres:** Comedy, Crime, Action - **Budget:** $25 million - **Box office:** $87 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4orHp2y2ZQ ## Where to watch in Australia - Amazon Prime Video: rent A$2.99, hd - Apple TV: rent A$2.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy A$7.99, hd - Apple TV: buy A$7.99, hd *Checked 2026-10-06.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Fargo* (1996), Fi1m 91: Another true-crime kidnap by idiots, told by people who knew when to stop laughing — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/fargo.md) - *Bernie* (2011): Richard Linklater’s Texas murder comedy, gentler, shorter and far surer of its tone - *Spring Breakers* (2012): Florida, neon and American wanting, taken seriously instead of shouted - *The Wolf of Wall Street* (2013), Fi1m 82: Three hours of appetite and fraud; Scorsese knows exactly whom he is laughing at — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wolf-of-wall-street.md) - *Wild Tales* (2014), Fi1m 83: Six Argentine stories of ordinary people losing it, each funnier and crueller than this — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wild-tales.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/pain-and-gain