When people think of director Michael Bay, the words “big budget” immediately come to mind. The man behind successful hits like BAD BOYS 1 and 2, THE ROCK, ARMAGEDDON and the TRANSFORMERS franchise is back with a much more modest film… well, modest-budgeted film at least. PAIN & GAIN is estimated to have cost $25 million, making it Bay’s lowest budget to work with since the original BAD BOYS at the start of his movie career. Both lead stars, Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, along with Bay helped make this possible by agreeing to take points on the film’s back-end profits rather than large up-front salaries. The story is based on true events about body builders Daniel Lugo and Adrian Doorbal, who got mixed up in extortion, kidnapping and even murder. The supporting cast is strong as well, featuring Anthony Mackie, Rebel Wilson, Ed Harris, Tony Shaloub and Rob Corddry, along with newcomer Bar Paly and Dutch actress Yolanthe Sneijder-Cabau. The trailer doesn’t seem to play up the comedic angle so much, but definitely looks like a Michael Bay production, even on the supposedly low budget. To me the real allure of this flick is seeing Ed Harris re-team with Bay after THE ROCK (which was 1996!), their only other collaboration to date. Check out the poster above and trailer below and tell us your thoughts in the comments.
From acclaimed director Michael Bay comes “Pain & Gain,” a new action comedy starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie. Based on the unbelievable true story of three personal trainers in 1990s Miami who, in pursuit of the American Dream, get caught up in a criminal enterprise that goes horribly wrong. Ed Harris, Tony Shalhoub, Rob Corddry, Rebel Wilson and Bar Paly also star. The film is based on magazine articles by Pete Collins, with a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely and produced by Donald DeLine, Michael Bay and Ian Bryce.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
