Pain and Gain

Every once in a while, the perfect movie comes along for the perfect person. It happens with actors all the time. There are certain actors that you don't really think are particularly good until you see them in a certain role in a certain movie, and then you think, well, ok, now I get it. This can be said of just about any action star, but more specifically, an example that comes to mind is Ryan Phillippe. No one is convinced that he is the next Brando or DeNiro. But if you watch him in a movie like Cruel Intentions, you sort of understand. That role, that movie was perfect for him and his specific talents. If it can work like that for actors, then surely it can work like that for directors as well. Case in point - Michael Bay. Bay has long been one of my favorite punching bags. I think he makes a lot of big, stupid movies, all of which are getting less and less enjoyable to me as the years go by. But then came Pain and Gain, and with its over the top plot, shoot em out action sequences, and bevy of beautiful women, it's sort of the perfect movie for Bay. And somehow, maybe even accidentally, Bay managed to make a good movie, or at the very least, three-fourths of a good movie. Someone on Twitter managed to call this movie Michael Bay's Pulp Fiction, and while I don't quite think this is THAT good, I can admit that Pain and Gain is highly enjoyable.

Pain and Gain follows the outrageous true story of the Sun Gym Gang from the mid 90's in Miami, Florida. The main characters Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg), Adrian (Anthony Mackie) and Paul Doyle (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson)are a group of body builders / personal trainers who work at Miami's Sun Gym and decide to kidnap one of their super rich douche bag clients (Tony Shalhoub) and torture him until he just decides to sign over his entire fortune to them. Somehow, said victim manages to survive being tortured, run over, set on fire and, while the cops don't believe his outlandish story, a private investigator (Ed Harris) does and eventually begins to investigate the now living large gym rats.

So, Pain and Gain is a super dark comedy, very bleak with no happy ending in sight (i.e. my kinda movie). All sorts of things work really well with this movie. The first being that the story, no matter how outlandish it gets (and it does get pretty freaking crazy) is all true. So, when the movie gets a little nutty, the fact that it is indeed a true story keeps in grounded in reality. Then there are the great performances. The three leading men - Wahlberg, Mackie and Johnson - are perfectly cast. No one is going to argue that The Rock is a great actor, but this is the perfect example of this being the perfect role for him. Wahlberg is one of the very few actors who can oscilate between comedy, action and drama with infinite ease and this is the perfect movie for his talents because its sort of all three in one. Mackie is one of the most underrated actors out there and it's great to see him shine. But Johnson is sort of the scene stealer. He is hilarious and terrifying as a born again coke head who shares a special connection with the kidnapping victim but also is a terrifying brute. And the fact that it is sort of a shoot 'em up movie works in Michael Bay's favor. Again, I'm not saying he has suddenly turned into Martin Scorsese, but this movie is good because of, or maybe even in spite of him. Perhaps the movie loses some of its charm near the end, when it becomes more of a cliche than anything and perhaps it would have worked better if it had been a little bit quicker. If Bay is going to become a serious filmmaker, then he needs to hire an editor who can rein him in. Still, for the most part, Pain and Gain is a fun movie, dark and outlandish, but all of the craziness somehow works. I suspect this was a one and done for Bay since his next movie is a remake of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but at the very least, we've gotten one good movie out of him.

Grade: B-

Saw IV, Gone Baby Gone, November film preview

Saw IV - I've seen all the Saw films although I guess I'm not as obsessive about them as some people apparently are. I'm sort of almost indifferent to the original Saw, in retrospect. Saw II was quite possibly one of the worst horror sequels in recent memory. However, I thought Saw III was actually quite enjoyable and easily my favorite of the franchise. Guess what? It remains that way. Saw IV is a solid film as far as fourth installments go, however, if it wasn't part of a highly successful film franchise, it doesn't hold it's own. The story is more or less over. However, the cash is still flowing in so they will continue to churn them out. Saw IV isn't quite the monstrosity of the fourth installments of, say, Friday the 13th or (especially) A Nightmare on Elm Street (and I won't even put Halloween 4 on this list since I absolutely love that movie!). Plus, it's just a little too confusing. Or, well, a lot confusing actually. That's because, like I said, I'm not an obsessive Saw person. I've seen all the Saw's but, I'm sorry, I don't remember every single detail about them. So, when characters pop up from previous films, I'm a little flustered. Anyway, Jigsaw is dead but the game is far from over. And guess what? Even though Jigsaw really is dead, Tobin Bell is still featured heavily and that's a huge plus for the movie as far as I'm concerned. He's a creepy, creepy man. The film opens with the autopsy of his body. It's gross and not for the squeamish. I loved the opening. Saw IV tries to re-capture the essence of the first and third films - gore and shocking twists at the end (although this ending... not so shocking... I figured it out in the first 30 minutes). However, it doesn't work here so well because it's too confusing and it doesn't satisfy as easily. It leaves more holes (that will undoubtedly be filled by more sequels) than it leaves answers. Saw IV is gory. It has, quite possibly, the best death scene captured on film this year (Eric Matthews and two ice blocks... that's all I'll say). I'll give credit where it's due: the film is consistant with the others. There's a lot of backstory about Jigsaw which I found utterly interesting (probably my favorite part of the movie, actually). Luke Danes - I mean, Scott Patterson - shows up as a tough talking cop but he'll always be a tough-talking diner owner in Stars Hollow, Connecticut to me. It's almost a shame because of Saw that we have come to expect the gore. It's not shocking anymore. The movie isn't a total waste of time and the diehard Saw fans might really enjoy it.

Grade: C+

Gone Baby Gone - I learned two things while watching this movie. 1) Ben Affleck is a better director than he is actor. 2) Casey Affleck is, quite possibly, the most underrated actor working right now. This movie will undoubtedly be compared to Mystic River - both are based on books by Dennis Lehane, both are set in Boston, both are directed by actors. And, guess what? Both are great, great movies. If you are a parent, I'm sure your biggest nightmare is the thought of someone kidnapping your child. Well, that's the story here. But the mother in this movie isn't a very good one. Played by the Oscar worthy Amy Ryan, she's a drug addicted, alcoholic who takes her daughter along on drug runs and leaves her home alone at night while she hits the bar downtown. Casey plays a private detective brought in on the case by the aunt of the child. He and his private detective partner/lover (Michelle Monaghan) take on the case and get wrapped up in finding out who took the little girl. They work alongside cops played by Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman. There's a lot of twists and turns here and I don't want to go into plot too much because, really, the movie is just too good and you really just need to see it. The ending is quite possibly my favorite film ending all year. It's simple and it's sad and it's heartbreaking and it's absolutely honest. The movie is heart wrenching, emotional, haunting, intense. This is surely a second chance for Ben Affleck. His acting career seems to have stalled out thanks to a lot of personal escapades but he's back and better than ever as a solid director. There's depth and balance and restraint. The film is beautifully shot at times and very gritty at others. The cast is fantastic. Casey is just stunning and flawless here. I've heard he's better in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (best. movie. title. ever.) but I really can't imagine how he could be any better than he is here. Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman are fantastic but, really, how could they not be? They are always fantastic. Amy Ryan is absolutely mesmerizing to watch. Her character is hardly likeable but you just want to see more of her on screen. Best Supporting Actress come Oscar time? I'd place my money on her. Gone Baby Gone is one of my very favorite movies of this year so far. If I had one criticism, it would be that it almost feels like three movies in one. Still, the Affleck brothers are multi-talented. This movie is deeply disturbing and thoroughly engaging. Just try getting it out of your head.

Grade: A-

November Movie Preview

November 2 - (I know, I'm late but I was on vacation!). Run and see American Gangster. This year's The Departed? Probably not. But I'm up for the showdown between Denzel and Russell. Martian Child looks a little cheesy for my liking but I'll take anything with John Cusack (and I guess this will hold me over until Grace is Gone gets here). Then there's Bee Movie. It makes me very, very sad.

November 9 - After Dark Horrorfest 2007... probably a skipper if I'm judging soley on last year's crop of eight films (one of which was good). Fred Claus opens. It has Kathy Bates, Kevin Spacey and Paul Giamatti playing second fiddle to Vince Vaughn. WHAT!?! Lions for Lambs stars Tom Cruise which is a huge turn off. BUT, it also stars La Meryl which is a huge turn on! No Country For Old Men is a movie I'm very, very excited about. Javier Bardem looks deliciously evil. My kind of man. I know it's only limited but I'll count the days til it opens somewhere in Pennsylvania.

November 16 - Beowulf, Beowulf, Beowulf. Let me tell you a quick story. When I was 10 or so, I was a really weird kid. My favorite book, you ask? Well, it was Beowulf. I've read the goddamn thing approximately 50 times. I love it. But it's torturous to read. Unless this movie is 3 DAYS long, then I don't want to see it. It can't quite possibly cover everything unless it's 3 DAYS long. It's probably not. So I don't want to see it. Margot at the Wedding opens in limited release. I love me some Noah Baumbach and some Jennifer Jason Leigh so I can't wait until it comes somewhere in my vacinity! Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium makes me feel a little sick to my stomach. Even the name is sugary sweet. But, the cast is amazing - Natalie Portman, Dustin Hoffman and, one of my movie star boyfriends, Jason Bateman.

November 21 - August Rush looks cheesy but Jonathan Rhys Meyers is one of my movie star boyfriends. Those eyes! Those cheek bones! Those lips! Yeah, I'll see this movie. Enchanted actually looks really, really cute for a kid movie. Amy Adams is almost too adorable for words. Hitman stars Timothy Olyphant. I'm not sure about it. I'm Not There opens in limited release and, man, I can't wait to see Cate Blanchett take a stab at Bob Dylan! Stephen King's The Mist looks like most Stephen King movies. And that's not a good thing.

November 28 - The Savages stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney. I think every movie should star Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney.

November 30 - A really solid film month ends with the release of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. I've heard good things so I'm excited to see it.