Shawn Barber has tragically passed away at the young age of 29.
The former Olympic athlete grew up in the United States, but held dual Canadian-American citizenship. When his parents split when he was young, he began splitting time between Toronto and Houston. He ended up representing Canada in the pole vaulting sport, following the footsteps of his father who also competed for the country.
Shawn placed in 10th during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, though he won the gold medal during the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.
His agent confirmed that Shawn passed away on Wednesday (January 17) at his home in Kingwood, Texas.
Keep reading to find out more…
A cause of death has not yet been determined, but The Associated Press reports that he was “experiencing health issues” recently and died “from medical complications.”
His agent Paul Doyle said, “More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was such a good-hearted...
The former Olympic athlete grew up in the United States, but held dual Canadian-American citizenship. When his parents split when he was young, he began splitting time between Toronto and Houston. He ended up representing Canada in the pole vaulting sport, following the footsteps of his father who also competed for the country.
Shawn placed in 10th during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, though he won the gold medal during the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.
His agent confirmed that Shawn passed away on Wednesday (January 17) at his home in Kingwood, Texas.
Keep reading to find out more…
A cause of death has not yet been determined, but The Associated Press reports that he was “experiencing health issues” recently and died “from medical complications.”
His agent Paul Doyle said, “More than just an incredible athlete, Shawn was such a good-hearted...
- 1/19/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
As Warner Bros. Discovery rethinks its streaming and licensing strategy, the studio has begun to license out several of its HBO and Max properties to outside streaming services. Among these shows is Ballers, the sports comedy drama starring and executive produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which ran for five seasons from 2015 to 2019. Now available to stream on Netflix, Ballers has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity thanks to the change in platforms, opening up the show to new, bigger audiences. Ballers has the distinction of being led by Johnson in his most nuanced and well-rounded role to date, providing a surprising amount of vulnerability for the global superstar.
Created by Stephen Levinson, Ballers follows Spencer Strasmore (Johnson), a former NFL player who parlays his life experiences to become a financial manager to current NFL athletes. As Spencer expands his business into a growing empire within the professional sports industry, he...
Created by Stephen Levinson, Ballers follows Spencer Strasmore (Johnson), a former NFL player who parlays his life experiences to become a financial manager to current NFL athletes. As Spencer expands his business into a growing empire within the professional sports industry, he...
- 8/21/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
[[tmz:video id="0_yt5hzb3z"]] Former U.S. Olympian Jamie Nieto is kicking rehab's ass ... walking with only a walker just 5 1/2 months after sustaining a life-threatening back injury. As we previously reported, Nieto -- a world class high jumper -- landed on his head while training ... and suffered severe damage to his back. He was unable to move and required emergency surgery. TMZ Sports spoke with Nieto's manager, Paul Doyle, who tells us he's "getting better physically "and is able...
- 10/13/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
2x U.S. Olympic star Jamie Nieto is home from the hospital and walking with some assistance less than 3 months after a Near-death injury ... TMZ Sports has learned. As we previously reported, Nieto landed on his head during a training session on April 23rd ... and suffered Major Damage to his back. He lost feeling in his arms and legs ... and was unable to move. But only 2 1/2 months after the injury, Nieto's manager, Paul Doyle, says...
- 7/8/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Director Michael Bay’s hilarious dark comedy Pain & Gain gets pumped on Blu-ray, DVD and On-Demand this December from Paramount Home Media Distribution. We have three copies of the Blu-ray to give away to our readers.
And only for the real Doers, the film will be available on Digital a week early on 17th December. Based on an unbelievable true story, Pain & Gain stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie as a group of personal trailers in 1990s Miami who, in pursuit of the American Dream, get caught up in a criminal enterprise that goes horribly wrong.
Adapted for the screen by writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely from articles written by journalist Pete Collins, Pain & Gain also stars Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”), Ed Harris (A History of Violence), Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine), Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids), Ken Jeong (The Hangover) and Bar Paly (The Ruins).
Miami. Muscles. Money.
And only for the real Doers, the film will be available on Digital a week early on 17th December. Based on an unbelievable true story, Pain & Gain stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie as a group of personal trailers in 1990s Miami who, in pursuit of the American Dream, get caught up in a criminal enterprise that goes horribly wrong.
Adapted for the screen by writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely from articles written by journalist Pete Collins, Pain & Gain also stars Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”), Ed Harris (A History of Violence), Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine), Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids), Ken Jeong (The Hangover) and Bar Paly (The Ruins).
Miami. Muscles. Money.
- 12/17/2013
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Michael Bay's action-packed dark comedy Pain & Gain arrives on a Special Collector's Edition Blu-ray December 3 and we've got your exclusive first look at a clip from the bonus features! Based on an unbelievable true story, Pain & Gain stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie as a group of personal trainers in 1990s Miami who, in pursuit of the American Dream, get caught up in a criminal enterprise that goes horribly wrong. The Pain & Gain Special Collector.s Edition Blu-ray includes nearly an hour of in-depth and exciting bonus footage that takes viewers inside the surreal true story and its intriguing cast of characters. Discover Michael Bay's vision for this character-driven story and explore the histories of Daniel Lugo, Paul Doyle, Adrian Doorbal...
- 11/11/2013
- Comingsoon.net
The roar of a V8, 750 brake horsepower engine.
The high-risk, crowd-pleasing 90 mph overtake.
The rush of a 1.6 second 0-60.
All staples of the Formula One diet, and all things I could care little to even less about...
For many, the full-throttle exhilaration of Formula One is escapism at its finest. While another cold brewski slithers down our necks, accompanied closely by its cardiac-arrest-inducing brother the cheese nacho, 22 primed and super-human men do battle at speeds of upto 220 mph (miles per hour) for our enjoyment, with hundreds of cameras following their every move.
However, such is my depravity that, without a crash to witness or an airborne F1 monster to gawp at, I have no interest. The thought of watching a group of men racing around a track over...and over...and over...again, is just to bromidic to comprehend. Of course, that's not to say that I don't respect the...
The high-risk, crowd-pleasing 90 mph overtake.
The rush of a 1.6 second 0-60.
All staples of the Formula One diet, and all things I could care little to even less about...
For many, the full-throttle exhilaration of Formula One is escapism at its finest. While another cold brewski slithers down our necks, accompanied closely by its cardiac-arrest-inducing brother the cheese nacho, 22 primed and super-human men do battle at speeds of upto 220 mph (miles per hour) for our enjoyment, with hundreds of cameras following their every move.
However, such is my depravity that, without a crash to witness or an airborne F1 monster to gawp at, I have no interest. The thought of watching a group of men racing around a track over...and over...and over...again, is just to bromidic to comprehend. Of course, that's not to say that I don't respect the...
- 9/13/2013
- Shadowlocked
Mark Wahlberg shines in a crazy crime caper about bumbling bodybuilders hellbent on kidnap and personal growth
There's something inspired about putting Michael Bay in charge of a brazen action-comedy about gym-pumped knuckleheads who screw up their own criminal masterplan most royally. Bay is Hollywood's biggest alpha-bull; this time he gallops through the china shop to entertaining effect. Pain & Gain is too long, and sometimes behaves as if it doesn't get the point of its own comedy, but there's plenty of zing. The story itself reads like something Florida thriller-writer Carl Hiaasen might have dreamed up; actually this is a true-crime case, based on an article by Miami New Times journalist Pete Collins. It's a tale from the roaring 1990s, and shot in an archly 90s pulp-fiction style. Mark Wahlberg is Daniel Lugo, a preening Florida bodybuilder, personal trainer and former conman obsessed with motivational fitness and realising the American dream by getting rich quick.
There's something inspired about putting Michael Bay in charge of a brazen action-comedy about gym-pumped knuckleheads who screw up their own criminal masterplan most royally. Bay is Hollywood's biggest alpha-bull; this time he gallops through the china shop to entertaining effect. Pain & Gain is too long, and sometimes behaves as if it doesn't get the point of its own comedy, but there's plenty of zing. The story itself reads like something Florida thriller-writer Carl Hiaasen might have dreamed up; actually this is a true-crime case, based on an article by Miami New Times journalist Pete Collins. It's a tale from the roaring 1990s, and shot in an archly 90s pulp-fiction style. Mark Wahlberg is Daniel Lugo, a preening Florida bodybuilder, personal trainer and former conman obsessed with motivational fitness and realising the American dream by getting rich quick.
- 8/30/2013
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Feature James Clayton 30 Aug 2013 - 06:06
To coincide with the release of Pain & Gain, James salutes the work of actor Anthony Mackie, and explains why he deserves bigger roles...
In Michael Bay's Pain & Gain, Anthony Mackie plays a man named Adrian "Noel" Doorbal. That's a bit of a silly name, but it's not so bad considering that the film also features characters called Pastor Randy and Robin Peck.
Still, Mackie (or Doorbal) has reason to be aggrieved and feel like he's the guy getting the biggest bites of shame sandwich. Why? Because Adrian is defined by his nads and, unlike co-star Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights, his nads are not something you'd want to defined by.
The character is compelled to go to a sexual health clinic and tearfully admit his secret shame. Viewers can't help but sympathise with the poor forlorn guy as he sits in front of...
To coincide with the release of Pain & Gain, James salutes the work of actor Anthony Mackie, and explains why he deserves bigger roles...
In Michael Bay's Pain & Gain, Anthony Mackie plays a man named Adrian "Noel" Doorbal. That's a bit of a silly name, but it's not so bad considering that the film also features characters called Pastor Randy and Robin Peck.
Still, Mackie (or Doorbal) has reason to be aggrieved and feel like he's the guy getting the biggest bites of shame sandwich. Why? Because Adrian is defined by his nads and, unlike co-star Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights, his nads are not something you'd want to defined by.
The character is compelled to go to a sexual health clinic and tearfully admit his secret shame. Viewers can't help but sympathise with the poor forlorn guy as he sits in front of...
- 8/29/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Feature Matt Edwards 30 Aug 2013 - 06:50
Is Michael Bay's black crime comedy a comment on the American Dream? Matt takes a detailed look at a morally murky film...
Note: this article contains Pain & Gain spoilers.
"This is the American Dream," whispers a voice in the song playing over the end credits, as neon text informs us that this is "A Film by Michael Bay".
It’s not unreasonable, I don’t think, to take this as a less than subtle prompt as to the theme of Pain & Gain. It would hardly be appropriate for the theme to be subtle, though. We’re talking about a film that tells the true story of chemically imbalanced, murderous body builders and their warped, modern and ultra-violent take on the American Dream.
The American Dream is the ideal that everyone in the USA is created equal, and that if they work hard they will achieve upward mobility.
Is Michael Bay's black crime comedy a comment on the American Dream? Matt takes a detailed look at a morally murky film...
Note: this article contains Pain & Gain spoilers.
"This is the American Dream," whispers a voice in the song playing over the end credits, as neon text informs us that this is "A Film by Michael Bay".
It’s not unreasonable, I don’t think, to take this as a less than subtle prompt as to the theme of Pain & Gain. It would hardly be appropriate for the theme to be subtle, though. We’re talking about a film that tells the true story of chemically imbalanced, murderous body builders and their warped, modern and ultra-violent take on the American Dream.
The American Dream is the ideal that everyone in the USA is created equal, and that if they work hard they will achieve upward mobility.
- 8/29/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Michael Bay.s directorial foray away from big explosions and back into R-rated comedy-action films, Pain & Gain, features three dumb as a rock protagonists and a lot of wacky hijinks, resulting in an entertaining 129 minutes of film. Paramount Home Media Distribution is bringing the movie on to Blu-ray and DVD on August 27, and to celebrate the release, we are giving away one awesome grand prize related to the film that includes a Blu-ray copy of Pain & Gain signed by Mark Wahlberg and a few other goodies. Fitness is at the heart of the movie, which stars Wahlberg as Daniel Lugo, an enterprising young convict who believes in bodybuilding perfection, as well as getting what he wants, even if it means committing crimes. He teams up with Adrian Doorbal and Paul Doyle (Anthony Mackie and Dwayne Johnson) to extort money from a wealthy Miami citizen, but committing the perfect crime takes...
- 8/23/2013
- cinemablend.com
Top 10 Matt Edwards 23 Aug 2013 - 07:06
Bodybuilders try to pull off the perfect crime in Michael Bay's Pain & Gain. Matt provides 10 manly reasons why you should see it...
“What a bunch of beefcakes!”
It’s rare that you’ll hear 80 men in a cinema exclaim this at the exact same time. But then, Pain & Gain, the new film from action director Michael Bay, is a rare movie. It’s around 130 minutes of testosterone-flooded mania. You could axe fight a lumberjack over an uncooked steak and it still wouldn’t be as manly as Pain & Gain. You could arm wrestle Chuck Norris while farting and it wouldn’t come close to being as tough as Pain & Gain. You could beat Wolf on every stage of Gladiators while clad entirely in lycra and you’d still be a distance off of the masculinity of Pain & Gain.
We won’t know for...
Bodybuilders try to pull off the perfect crime in Michael Bay's Pain & Gain. Matt provides 10 manly reasons why you should see it...
“What a bunch of beefcakes!”
It’s rare that you’ll hear 80 men in a cinema exclaim this at the exact same time. But then, Pain & Gain, the new film from action director Michael Bay, is a rare movie. It’s around 130 minutes of testosterone-flooded mania. You could axe fight a lumberjack over an uncooked steak and it still wouldn’t be as manly as Pain & Gain. You could arm wrestle Chuck Norris while farting and it wouldn’t come close to being as tough as Pain & Gain. You could beat Wolf on every stage of Gladiators while clad entirely in lycra and you’d still be a distance off of the masculinity of Pain & Gain.
We won’t know for...
- 8/22/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
It’s an unsettling, almost shameful thing to admit, but Michael Bay has made a good film. It’s a film that, of course, features explosions, scantily clad women and spinning cameras. He’s not become an entirely different person after all. But in Pain & Gain, the true story of a mid-90s plot by Miami bodybuilders to kidnap and extort their way to the top, Bay has made an action-comedy that’s exciting, hilarious and, crucially, self-aware.
That this film has it tongue lodged firmly within its cheek becomes clear in the opening five minutes. We see Mark Wahlberg’s fitness trainer Danny Lugo attempt to outrun a Swat team in the most lethargic slow motion ever before a ‘Six months earlier’ preamble tosses us into a sun-drenched world of muscles and bikinis, where you needn’t have a personality when you can spout self-improvement mantras; and where value...
That this film has it tongue lodged firmly within its cheek becomes clear in the opening five minutes. We see Mark Wahlberg’s fitness trainer Danny Lugo attempt to outrun a Swat team in the most lethargic slow motion ever before a ‘Six months earlier’ preamble tosses us into a sun-drenched world of muscles and bikinis, where you needn’t have a personality when you can spout self-improvement mantras; and where value...
- 8/14/2013
- Shadowlocked
Win yourself the ultimate gym package with Pain and Gain merchandise to mark the release on 30th August. The film stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in a movie like you’ve never seen then before!
Michael Bay directs this ripped-from-the-headlines tale of a group of bodybuilding criminals. Based on a true story, Pain & Gain follows Daniel Lugo (Wahlberg) and Paul Doyle (Johnson), a pair of Florida bodybuilders who get caught up in an extortion ring and kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. Ed Harris stars as Private Detective Ed Du Bois who cracks the case after the Miami Pd fail to do so.
For more on the film visit: www.painandgainmovie.com. Pain and Gain is rated 15
For your chance to win one of five bundles of Pain and Gain gym goodies, from a fitness kit, towel and water bottle to a heart rate monitor and stop watch,...
Michael Bay directs this ripped-from-the-headlines tale of a group of bodybuilding criminals. Based on a true story, Pain & Gain follows Daniel Lugo (Wahlberg) and Paul Doyle (Johnson), a pair of Florida bodybuilders who get caught up in an extortion ring and kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. Ed Harris stars as Private Detective Ed Du Bois who cracks the case after the Miami Pd fail to do so.
For more on the film visit: www.painandgainmovie.com. Pain and Gain is rated 15
For your chance to win one of five bundles of Pain and Gain gym goodies, from a fitness kit, towel and water bottle to a heart rate monitor and stop watch,...
- 8/12/2013
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Review Ron Hogan 29 Apr 2013 - 06:44
Michael Bay goes back to smaller movies with Pain & Gain, starring Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg. Review here...
Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is a guy with simple dreams. One of these dreams is to maximise his body's potential via weightlifting and training. The other is to be filthy, stinking rich. To that end, after spending time in prison after running an investment scam, Lugo's first legitimate post-prison job is at Sun Gym, where he turns the struggling gym of John Mese (Rob Corddry) into a weightlifting mecca with free body waxing and free memberships for strippers.
Turning a gym around is all well and good, but that's not enough for Lugo and his friend Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie), a fellow bodybuilder who is feeling the repercussions of years of steroid abuse. To treat his erectile dysfunction, he needs money. Lugo needs money, too. Fortunately,...
Michael Bay goes back to smaller movies with Pain & Gain, starring Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg. Review here...
Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is a guy with simple dreams. One of these dreams is to maximise his body's potential via weightlifting and training. The other is to be filthy, stinking rich. To that end, after spending time in prison after running an investment scam, Lugo's first legitimate post-prison job is at Sun Gym, where he turns the struggling gym of John Mese (Rob Corddry) into a weightlifting mecca with free body waxing and free memberships for strippers.
Turning a gym around is all well and good, but that's not enough for Lugo and his friend Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie), a fellow bodybuilder who is feeling the repercussions of years of steroid abuse. To treat his erectile dysfunction, he needs money. Lugo needs money, too. Fortunately,...
- 4/29/2013
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Director Michael Bay turns from transforming robots to bodybuilding criminals for his latest exercise in testosterone-fueled excess. Based on the bizarre-but-true story, P&G stars Mark Wahlberg as Miami Beach personal trainer Daniel Lugo, who's determined to live out the American Dream ("We're doers, doers do!"). Lugo teams with gym rat Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie) and ex-con Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson) to kidnap and extort money from a deli franchise magnate. Of course, their cockamamie scheme goes absurdly awry—think Fargo on steroids and coke. Want to really beef up your P&G Iq? Don't be a wimp! Start juicing with these five factoids: 1. Stranger Than Fiction: The script is based on a...
- 4/27/2013
- E! Online
Full disclosure, I thought Pain & Gain was going to be a comedy or, at the very least, peppered with humor more often than not. It isn't. It's a tragedy. The focus is on dumb people doing dumb things and it's largely impossible to enjoy because it's based on a true story of people who kidnapped, tortured, robbed and murdered people told through the glossy, oversaturated lens of Michael Bay. While I've never been one to participate in "Bay bashing", if there was ever an example of the man not understanding drama this is it. Loaded with all the faux machismo, homophobia, misogyny, racism and flag-waving we've come to expect from Bay, Pain & Gain is presented in his traditional slick and glossy fashion, which would seem to suggest we're in for a rip-roaring good time with a trio of bonehead body builders looking for a quick buck. And, at the very least,...
- 4/26/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Pain & Gain
Directed by Michael Bay
Written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
USA, 2013
If cinema has anything to say about it, the modern American dream is best typified by a grandiose level of entitlement in those who covet it most of all. Just a month ago, we saw Spring Breakers, a nightmarish, neon piece of grotesquerie, compelling experimental art about nubile young women trying to attain their hedonistic Western utopia by stealing from and killing people who dared get in their way, consequences be damned. And now, we have Michael Bay’s loopy, adrenaline-laced echo of the same concept, Pain & Gain; this time, it’s not a quartet of college students, but a trio of bodybuilders, who use force to achieve their dream and never think beyond themselves.
Based on a true story so jaw-dropping that, as one character tries to remove a person’s fingertips in a charbroiled fashion,...
Directed by Michael Bay
Written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
USA, 2013
If cinema has anything to say about it, the modern American dream is best typified by a grandiose level of entitlement in those who covet it most of all. Just a month ago, we saw Spring Breakers, a nightmarish, neon piece of grotesquerie, compelling experimental art about nubile young women trying to attain their hedonistic Western utopia by stealing from and killing people who dared get in their way, consequences be damned. And now, we have Michael Bay’s loopy, adrenaline-laced echo of the same concept, Pain & Gain; this time, it’s not a quartet of college students, but a trio of bodybuilders, who use force to achieve their dream and never think beyond themselves.
Based on a true story so jaw-dropping that, as one character tries to remove a person’s fingertips in a charbroiled fashion,...
- 4/26/2013
- by Josh Spiegel
- SoundOnSight
This weekend, "Pain and Gain" opens nationwide, for both muscle-building juiceheads and those of us who try to make it to yoga a couple of times a week because we want to age gracefully, like Helen Mirren. The true-life story of kidnapping and murder stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a pair of criminals who were part of what was known as the Sun Gym gang –- bodybuilders whose criminal activity eventually extended into kidnapping, extortion, and murder. "Pain and Gain" was directed by Michael Bay, the orchestrator of a Hollywood's biggest-budgeted action spectaculars (among them "Armageddon," "Bad Boys," "The Rock," and the three "Transformers" movies), who is, this time, working with a smaller budget and tighter schedule. The question, of course is: Is a modestly sized Bay still as much of a visual extravaganza as an unlimited-budget Bay? Read on for the 10 things you need to...
- 4/25/2013
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
By Tara Fowler
This weekend, Michael Bay will try to erase the sting of "Armageddon" with the true-crime feature "Pain & Gain." Personally, I've never met a Bay film I haven't liked (well, maybe Pearl Harbor), so I couldn't be more psyched for this movie, which centers on three Florida bodybuilders—Daniel Lugo, Adrian Doorbal, and Paul Doyle—who turned to a life of crime in the mid-90s. The true story is more bizarre then the film itself, so I highly suggest you check out Pete Collins' lengthy exposé in the Miami New Times. But for those of you who don't have the time, check out some highlights from the article below.
1) The gym's core clientele initially consisted of "cops and bad guys": Which was problematic for obvious reasons. One police officer quipped that he could "meet my monthly quota of felony arrests in one night at the...
This weekend, Michael Bay will try to erase the sting of "Armageddon" with the true-crime feature "Pain & Gain." Personally, I've never met a Bay film I haven't liked (well, maybe Pearl Harbor), so I couldn't be more psyched for this movie, which centers on three Florida bodybuilders—Daniel Lugo, Adrian Doorbal, and Paul Doyle—who turned to a life of crime in the mid-90s. The true story is more bizarre then the film itself, so I highly suggest you check out Pete Collins' lengthy exposé in the Miami New Times. But for those of you who don't have the time, check out some highlights from the article below.
1) The gym's core clientele initially consisted of "cops and bad guys": Which was problematic for obvious reasons. One police officer quipped that he could "meet my monthly quota of felony arrests in one night at the...
- 4/25/2013
- by MTV Movies Team
- MTV Movies Blog
Chicago – Michael Bay’s “Pain & Gain” tells such a ridiculous story that it has to be true. Based on the infamous case of the Sun Gym Gang, a trio of bodybuilders who committed some unspeakable, bizarre crimes, “Pain & Gain” nearly works through the sheer charisma and talent of its A-list cast. A bloated running time, Bay’s problems with pacing, and a pretty juvenile script hold it back from truly clicking but there is enough manic energy to this larger-than-life story that it could practically numb one into thinking it connects as well as it should.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
“Pain & Gain” will inspire film goers to consider who might have done more with the same story. What would Joel & Ethan Coen’s “Pain & Gain” look like? (It would have been a dark, comic masterpiece and the lead role probably would have been played by Michael Stuhlbarg). What would Martin Scorsese’s “Pain & Gain” feel like?...
Rating: 3.0/5.0
“Pain & Gain” will inspire film goers to consider who might have done more with the same story. What would Joel & Ethan Coen’s “Pain & Gain” look like? (It would have been a dark, comic masterpiece and the lead role probably would have been played by Michael Stuhlbarg). What would Martin Scorsese’s “Pain & Gain” feel like?...
- 4/25/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) believes in fitness – and the American dream and bettering himself and making money and a whole mess of other stuff – but he mainly believes in fitness, and he believes that it is his unique dedication to fitness that will turn him into a success. And, if that doesn’t work, he can always just rob someone. Based on a true story (a claim that gets progressively harder to believe as the film goes on because this stuff is bonkers), Michael Bay’s Pain & Gain centers on the 1990s crime spree committed by Miami’s own “Sun Gym Gang,” one that saw personal trainer Lugo (along with his equally stupid cohorts, Paul Doyle, played by Dwayne Johnson and Adrian Doorbal, played by Anthony Mackie) hatch the brilliant (sarcasm all-around) scheme to trick a gym customer out of everything he owned. What started as a simple plan – kidnap millionaire moron Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), get...
- 4/25/2013
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Before watching Michael Bay’s Pain & Gain, I highly suggest reading the 3-part Miami New Times article on which it is based (conveniently compiled at this link). Such prior knowledge is in no way required to enjoy Bay’s film adaptation, but having read the original, factual account, I found myself constantly fascinated by the choices Bay and company made bringing the story to the screen. It is not the literal details of the crime that intrigue me – the film is actually a much closer approximation of the truth than I would have ever imagined – but the overall tone struck, and the thematic and character decisions made. Bay has taken a dark, disturbingly outlandish tale of greed, extortion, selfishness, and human depravity, and turned it into a broad, black, increasingly out-of-control comedy about the absurdity of the ‘American Dream,’ all without misrepresenting (most of) the fundamental facts of the incident.
- 4/25/2013
- by Jonathan R. Lack
- We Got This Covered
A 12-year passion project on the part of director Michael Bay, Pain & Gain lands in theaters this Friday with an ensemble cast that includes Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Ed Harris, Rob Corddry, Tony Shalhoub, Bar Paly, Rebel Wilson, Ken Jeong and Yolanthe Cabau. Based on a disturbingly true story, Pain & Gain features Wahlberg as Daniel Lugo, a fitness obsessed gym manager who, deciding that it's his turn to cash in on the American dream, enlists the aide of fellow bodybuilders Adrian Doorbal (Mackie) and Paul Doyle (Johnson) to kidnap and extort a wealthy Miami resident, Victor Kershaw (Shaloub). It's after they've taken everything he owns and attempted to murder him several times over, however, that the true crime story gets truly unbelievable....
- 4/24/2013
- Comingsoon.net
Michael Bay is back. And that’s in a good way.
Bay directed a true story film about the notorious group called the Sun Gym gang who performed a couple of kidnappings during the mid-1990s. They were comprised of three gym buffs named Daniel Lugo, Paul Doyle and Adrian Doorbal (played by Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie respectively). The trio, led by Lugo, would kidnap a local businessman to torture and steal his millions of dollars. During this kidnapping process, these meatheads would make mistake after mistake after mistake. With so many mistakes and trail of evidence, the local police would not even believe the kidnapped victim that a crime actually occurred.
The escaped kidnapped victim Victor Kershaw (played by Tony Shalhoub) hired a detective Ed Du Bois (played by Ed Harris) to track down these kidnappers. The three friends left sizable bread crumbs of evidence for...
Bay directed a true story film about the notorious group called the Sun Gym gang who performed a couple of kidnappings during the mid-1990s. They were comprised of three gym buffs named Daniel Lugo, Paul Doyle and Adrian Doorbal (played by Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie respectively). The trio, led by Lugo, would kidnap a local businessman to torture and steal his millions of dollars. During this kidnapping process, these meatheads would make mistake after mistake after mistake. With so many mistakes and trail of evidence, the local police would not even believe the kidnapped victim that a crime actually occurred.
The escaped kidnapped victim Victor Kershaw (played by Tony Shalhoub) hired a detective Ed Du Bois (played by Ed Harris) to track down these kidnappers. The three friends left sizable bread crumbs of evidence for...
- 4/16/2013
- by Gig Patta
- LRMonline.com
The author of "Pain and Gain: The Untold True Story" spoke out Friday on HuffPost Live, calling the new movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Mark Wahlberg an "atrocious" depiction of the true events he endured.
Marc Schiller, whose book was released in January, said he does not approve of the Michael Bay movie's portrayal of the criminals who kidnapped him for a month and subjected him to intense torture. The "Pain & Gain" film presents the criminals, known collectively as the "Sun Gym Gang," in a somewhat lighter, more comedic tone than Schiller finds appropriate based on his harrowing experience.
Schiller was kidnapped after con artist Daniel Lugo, portrayed in the film by Wahlberg, convinced one of Schiller's colleagues that he had stolen money from him -- something Schiller says "was the furthest thing from the truth." In the movie, Lugo and partner Paul Doyle (Johnson) kidnap a wealthy...
Marc Schiller, whose book was released in January, said he does not approve of the Michael Bay movie's portrayal of the criminals who kidnapped him for a month and subjected him to intense torture. The "Pain & Gain" film presents the criminals, known collectively as the "Sun Gym Gang," in a somewhat lighter, more comedic tone than Schiller finds appropriate based on his harrowing experience.
Schiller was kidnapped after con artist Daniel Lugo, portrayed in the film by Wahlberg, convinced one of Schiller's colleagues that he had stolen money from him -- something Schiller says "was the furthest thing from the truth." In the movie, Lugo and partner Paul Doyle (Johnson) kidnap a wealthy...
- 4/12/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
CineMovie has your chance to see See Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg in the new movie Pain & Gain at an advance movie screening in Los Angeles.
Based on a true story, Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is a regular bodybuilder who works at the Sun Gym along with his friend Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie). Sick of living the poor life Lugo concocts a plan to kidnap Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), a regular at the gym and a rich spoiled business man, and extort him by means of torture. With the help of recently released criminal Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), the 'Sun Gym Gang' successfully gets Kershaw to sign over all his finances, but when Kershaw survives an attempted murder from the gang, he hires private investigator Ed Du Bois (Ed Harris) to catch the criminals after the Miami
Read more...
Based on a true story, Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is a regular bodybuilder who works at the Sun Gym along with his friend Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie). Sick of living the poor life Lugo concocts a plan to kidnap Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), a regular at the gym and a rich spoiled business man, and extort him by means of torture. With the help of recently released criminal Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), the 'Sun Gym Gang' successfully gets Kershaw to sign over all his finances, but when Kershaw survives an attempted murder from the gang, he hires private investigator Ed Du Bois (Ed Harris) to catch the criminals after the Miami
Read more...
- 4/9/2013
- CineMovie
"Their American Dream is Bigger Than Yours" is the tagline for the new movie poster Pain & Gain starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Jonson, and Anthony Mackie. Not only are their dreams bigger, but so are their pecks on this new testosterone-heavy one-sheet.
Tony Shalhoub and Ed Harris also star in the true story of extortion and murder in Miami. Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is a regular bodybuilder who works at the Sun Gym along with his friend Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie). Sick of living the poor life Lugo concocts a plan to kidnap Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), a regular at the gym and a rich spoiled business man, and extort him by means of torture. With the help of recently released criminal Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), the 'Sun Gym Gang' successfully gets Kershaw to sign over all his finances, but when Kershaw survives an attempted murder from
Read more...
Tony Shalhoub and Ed Harris also star in the true story of extortion and murder in Miami. Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is a regular bodybuilder who works at the Sun Gym along with his friend Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie). Sick of living the poor life Lugo concocts a plan to kidnap Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), a regular at the gym and a rich spoiled business man, and extort him by means of torture. With the help of recently released criminal Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), the 'Sun Gym Gang' successfully gets Kershaw to sign over all his finances, but when Kershaw survives an attempted murder from
Read more...
- 4/6/2013
- CineMovie
"This is a true story," says the joke-heavy trailer for Paramount's action comedy "Pain & Gain," whose cast list includes Rebel Wilson, Ken Jeong, and Rob Corddry. But the families of the Sun Gym Gang's real-life torture and murder victims aren't laughing. In the film directed by Michael Bay, Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson portray body builders turned vigilante muscle men, who kidnap a bad guy and make off with his fortune.
"Victor Kershaw is a criminal prick who deserves bad stuff to happen to him," says Wahlberg's character, Daniel Lugo, in the trailer. Kershaw is supposed to be the fictional version of Marc Schiller, a Miami businessman who was kidnapped tortured, and nearly murdered by the Sun Gym Gang. According to the Associated Press, Schiller was kept in a warehouse for a month and tortured with sleep deprivation, water boarding, lighters and a Taser until he signed millions...
"Victor Kershaw is a criminal prick who deserves bad stuff to happen to him," says Wahlberg's character, Daniel Lugo, in the trailer. Kershaw is supposed to be the fictional version of Marc Schiller, a Miami businessman who was kidnapped tortured, and nearly murdered by the Sun Gym Gang. According to the Associated Press, Schiller was kept in a warehouse for a month and tortured with sleep deprivation, water boarding, lighters and a Taser until he signed millions...
- 4/5/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Miami — The real-life murder, torture and kidnapping case from South Florida that's behind the coming movie "Pain & Gain" indeed reads like a script – just not a funny one.
The fact that the film, starring Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, is an action-comedy has angered survivors of the Sun Gym gang's crimes and those who investigated them nearly two decades ago.
"You are talking about real people. And in this particular case, especially when you're talking about the murder victims, these were innocent victims," retired Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Felix Jimenez said.
Zsuzsanna Griga told The Miami Herald that the movie's depiction of the gang as sympathetic bumblers just trying to get ahead is "ridiculous." Her brother and his girlfriend were murdered and dismembered by them.
"It's horrible what happened to them," said Griga, who lives in Hungary. She could not be reached by The Associated Press. "I don't want...
The fact that the film, starring Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, is an action-comedy has angered survivors of the Sun Gym gang's crimes and those who investigated them nearly two decades ago.
"You are talking about real people. And in this particular case, especially when you're talking about the murder victims, these were innocent victims," retired Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Felix Jimenez said.
Zsuzsanna Griga told The Miami Herald that the movie's depiction of the gang as sympathetic bumblers just trying to get ahead is "ridiculous." Her brother and his girlfriend were murdered and dismembered by them.
"It's horrible what happened to them," said Griga, who lives in Hungary. She could not be reached by The Associated Press. "I don't want...
- 4/4/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Mark Wahlberg can't get enough pool time. At least, that's the impression we get from these exclusive "Pain & Gain" photos (below). Also, Dwayne Johnson loves to shop (with beautiful ladies), Ken Jeong is very fond of himself, and director Michael Bay likes to watch. (Who doesn't?!) In the action-comedy-drama, Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) and Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson) get caught up in a kidnapping and extortion plot that, well, doesn't go as planned. The movie also stars Rebel Wilson, Ed Harris, Anthony Mackie, Rob Corddry, and Tony Shalhoub. Peruse our exclusive photos below, and catch "Pain & Gain" when it hits theaters April 26. [click photos to zoom]...
- 4/3/2013
- by Tim Hayne
- Moviefone
Slow Motion? Check. Ludicrous plotline? Check. Cool guys walking away from explosions? Absolutely. All these ingredients have been fired into the new red-band trailer for Michael Bay’s latest film Pain & Gain and the result is a cacophony of humorous mayhem. Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie and Dwayne Johnson will lead the cast for the director in a story inspired by true events. No, really.
Pain & Gain will chart the events surrounding a group of everyday bodybuilders who begin to moonlight as criminals in order to climb the social ranks in Miami. Mark Wahlberg plays fitness fanatic Daniel Lugo who, along with the help of Adrian Dorbal (Mackie) and Dwayne Johnson’s recently released criminal Paul Doyle, looks to kidnap and extort one of the gym’s more affluent members.
What seems generic on paper has been infused with so much testosterone and Bay-isms in the trailer that you may need...
Pain & Gain will chart the events surrounding a group of everyday bodybuilders who begin to moonlight as criminals in order to climb the social ranks in Miami. Mark Wahlberg plays fitness fanatic Daniel Lugo who, along with the help of Adrian Dorbal (Mackie) and Dwayne Johnson’s recently released criminal Paul Doyle, looks to kidnap and extort one of the gym’s more affluent members.
What seems generic on paper has been infused with so much testosterone and Bay-isms in the trailer that you may need...
- 3/27/2013
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
The latest trailer for Michael Bay's "Pain & Gain" has arrived, and it's absolutely hilarious. Though Dwayne Johnson's character Paul Doyle, Mark Wahlberg's Daniel Lugo and Anthony Mackie's Adrian Doorbal aren't considered heroes in real life, they definitely look like they will be in the movie based on what we've seen this red band trailer.
The video is for ages 17 and up because of some swearing, violence and a severed toe. It's also much more comedic than the previous "Pain & Gain" trailers released. The use of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' song "Thrift Shop" helps with that, but the new scenes of Rebel Wilson and Ken Jeong make it seem like "Pain & Gain" could be as much a comedy as it is an action movie.
In fact, now we really hope that the actual movie has the same tone as this red band trailer. Bay has made action comedies in the past,...
The video is for ages 17 and up because of some swearing, violence and a severed toe. It's also much more comedic than the previous "Pain & Gain" trailers released. The use of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' song "Thrift Shop" helps with that, but the new scenes of Rebel Wilson and Ken Jeong make it seem like "Pain & Gain" could be as much a comedy as it is an action movie.
In fact, now we really hope that the actual movie has the same tone as this red band trailer. Bay has made action comedies in the past,...
- 3/27/2013
- by Terri Schwartz
- MTV Movies Blog
Sneak Peek footage from director Michael Bay's upcoming black comedy, "Pain & Gain", based on a true story.
Written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the film is based on a 1999 series of 'Miami New Times' articles by investigative journalist Pete Collins about "...a couple of Florida steroid-abusing knucklehead bodybuilders who become criminals involved in an extortion ring and a kidnapping plot that goes horribly wrong..."
"...'Daniel Lugo' (Mark Wahlberg) is a regular bodybuilder who works at the 'Sun Gym' along with his friend 'Adrian Doorbal' (Anthony Mackie). Sick of living the poor life Lugo concocts a plan to kidnap 'Victor Kershaw' (Tony Shalhoub), a regular at the gym and a rich spoiled business man, and extort him. With the help of recently released criminal Paul Doyle' (Dwayne Johnson), the 'Sun Gym Gang' successfully gets Kershaw to sign over all his finances, but when Kershaw survives an attempted murder,...
Written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the film is based on a 1999 series of 'Miami New Times' articles by investigative journalist Pete Collins about "...a couple of Florida steroid-abusing knucklehead bodybuilders who become criminals involved in an extortion ring and a kidnapping plot that goes horribly wrong..."
"...'Daniel Lugo' (Mark Wahlberg) is a regular bodybuilder who works at the 'Sun Gym' along with his friend 'Adrian Doorbal' (Anthony Mackie). Sick of living the poor life Lugo concocts a plan to kidnap 'Victor Kershaw' (Tony Shalhoub), a regular at the gym and a rich spoiled business man, and extort him. With the help of recently released criminal Paul Doyle' (Dwayne Johnson), the 'Sun Gym Gang' successfully gets Kershaw to sign over all his finances, but when Kershaw survives an attempted murder,...
- 3/23/2013
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Pain & Gain has debuted a new TV trailer exclusively through Digital Spy. Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson lead the cast of the action thriller, which is directed by Transformers helmer Michael Bay.
Pain & Gain, which is based on a series of 1999 Miami New Times articles, sees Wahlberg and Johnson play Daniel Lugo and Paul Doyle, a pair of bodybuilders who find themselves caught up in (more)...
Pain & Gain, which is based on a series of 1999 Miami New Times articles, sees Wahlberg and Johnson play Daniel Lugo and Paul Doyle, a pair of bodybuilders who find themselves caught up in (more)...
- 1/21/2013
- by By Simon Reynolds
- Digital Spy
Their American dream is bigger than yours, remember? Well, just in case you forgot, we’re here to remind you that Michael Bay‘s action movie Pain and Gain opens this April and that Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie all star in it! That’s exactly what you’re going to see in this short video, so make sure you check it out!
Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely and Scott Rosenberg stand behind the script, but as you already know, the whole thing is actually based on a 1999 series of Miami New Times articles by investigative journalist Pete Collins.
It follows a group of bodybuilders who engaged in a campaign of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Florida.
Daniel Lugo is a regular bodybuilder who works at the Sun Gym along with his friend Adrian Doorbal. Sick of living the poor life Lugo concocts a plan to kidnap Victor Kershaw,...
Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely and Scott Rosenberg stand behind the script, but as you already know, the whole thing is actually based on a 1999 series of Miami New Times articles by investigative journalist Pete Collins.
It follows a group of bodybuilders who engaged in a campaign of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Florida.
Daniel Lugo is a regular bodybuilder who works at the Sun Gym along with his friend Adrian Doorbal. Sick of living the poor life Lugo concocts a plan to kidnap Victor Kershaw,...
- 1/19/2013
- by Jeanne Standal
- Filmofilia
An intriguing move away from ginormous explosions and into more character-driven filmmaking, Michael Bay's Pain & Gain is shaping up to surprise one or two people. His passion project has a new trailer which offers a blast of Florida sunshine on a wintry day. Watch it below or Bay will blow up your advent calendar. Looks like a Michael Bay sortie in Soderbergh or even Coens country, right? Sure, he's brought Humvees, Swat teams and speedboats (baby steps, people), but the comedy beats looks like they're in safe hands with Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and the ever-excellent Tony Shalhoub on board, and we know Bay can shot an action sequence. Sometimes several at once. The Bad Boys here are a trio of knuckleheaded bodybuilders, Daniel Lugo (Wahlberg), Paul Doyle (Johnson) and Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie), who robbed and extorted their way around southern Florida in the mid-'90s.Written by...
- 12/20/2012
- EmpireOnline
Paramount Pictures has released the official full-length trailer for its upcoming action-comedy-drama ‘Pain and Gain,’ which is being directed by Michael Bay. The trailer for the movie, which stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson, can be viewed on the director’s official website. ‘Pain and Gain,’ which was written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, is set to be released in theaters on April 26, 2013. It tells the true story of a gang of Miami bodybuilders. They become involved in an extortion ring that leads to kidnapping and murder. Wahlberg and Johnson play Daniel Lugo and Paul Doyle, respectfully, two of the incompetent murderous bodybuilders involved in the extortion scheme. [ Read More ]
The post Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson Feel Pain and Gain in Official Trailer appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson Feel Pain and Gain in Official Trailer appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 12/19/2012
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
Paramount Pictures has released the official teaser trailer for its upcoming action-comedy-drama ‘Pain and Gain,’ which is being directed by Michael Bay. The film, which stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson, is set to be released in theaters on April 26, 2013. ‘Pain and Gain,’ which was written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, tells the true story of a gang of Miami bodybuilders. They become involved in an extortion ring that leads to kidnapping and murder. Wahlberg and Johnson play Daniel Lugo and Paul Doyle, respectfully, two of the incompetent murderous bodybuilders involved in the extortion scheme. Ed Harris plays private detective Ed Du Bois, who sets out to [ Read More ]...
- 9/20/2012
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was in Las Vegas this week to take part in Paramount's CinemaCon presentation and help them to pimp G.I. Joe: Retaliation , and ComingSoon.net had a chance to catch up with him on the red carpet before he was presented with CinemaCon's "Action Star of the Decade" award. The last time we spoke to Johnson at Toy Fair in New York, he had just signed onto Michael Bay's Pain and Gain . The film is based on the true story of the "Sun Gym Gang," a pair of bodybuilders named Daniel Lugo and Adrien Doorbal, who led an extortion and kidnapping plot before being arrested. Johnson is playing Paul Doyle, a barman who got caught up in his friend's plans. Said to have a modest $20 million budget, which would have to make it Michael...
- 4/24/2012
- Comingsoon.net
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