by Jake Hjort, Contributing Writer
It’s not often that I find myself completely befuddled by my opinions on a film. This isn’t to say I’m not often surprised by how much I like or dislike a film based on preconceived expectations, but typically, whether I enjoyed the film or not, I can at least figure out the reason that I feel that way. For me, Pain Hustlers is one of those confusing experiences. I can’t say that I particularly liked or disliked it — in fact, Pain Hustlers may be one of the most aggressively okay films I’ve ever seen — but it feels like a movie that should be much better than it is. The subject matter is interesting, and there’s plenty of talent on both sides of the camera, but things just don’t click in the final product.
From the onset, it seems apparent that Pain Hustlers is trying to emulate the successful formulas of films such as The Wolf of Wall Street and The Big Short, this time set in the pharmaceutical industry rather than the financial sector. Like those other films, we follow a cast of largely unlikable characters making morally questionable actions that harm innocent people, ignoring the damage that they cause as they work to maximize profits. The film follows the rise and fall Zanna Therapeutics (a fairly direct parody of the real-world Insys Therapeutics) as they try to peddle an oral fentanyl spray to doctors at pain clinics. There are plenty of parties, excess, and raps performed by Chris Evans in a mascot costume on the way up, and comeuppance on the way down, but it doesn’t feel satisfying to watch on either end. This is perhaps the biggest source of confusion for me: If nothing else, this should at least be fun to watch, but for whatever reason it just isn’t.
In order to provide exposition and explain the details and inner workings of the pharmaceutical industry and opioid epidemic, the film utilizes mockumentary-esque talking head interviews with its characters. Aside from these interviews, the movie is otherwise a straightforward narrative feature telling the events of the story as they happened within the universe of the film, without any hint of the structure of a documentary. As a result, these interviews feel out of place and like a lazy, tell-don’t-show method of giving information to the audience. The film is directed by David Yates, best known for his work on the final four Harry Potter movies, and while he’s no Scorsese, he’s certainly proved capable of making interesting and memorable films. In Pain Hustlers, however, there isn’t a single shot that stands out in my mind only 24 hours after watching the film, and I couldn’t hum even a single measure of the score if my life depended on it. This isn’t to say that any of the filmmaking is bad or distracting, it’s just completely uninspired.
By far the biggest strength and selling point of the film is its cast. Emily Blunt stars as Liza Drake, a down-on-her-luck single mother who’s able to snag an entry-level sales position at Zanna, and who quickly works her way up through the ranks. Opposite her is Chris Evans as Pete Brenner, the fast-talking Zanna executive who first discovers Liza and trains her up on the tricks of the trade. Both give good performances, and are clearly having a lot of fun making the movie, although that joy doesn’t necessarily translate to the viewer experience. Their screen presence does lend a lot of credence to the film, giving it a sense of legitimacy that lesser stars or performers may not be able to provide. The supporting cast is full of veterans as well, with Catherine O’Hara, Andy Garcia, and Brian d’Arcy James all turning in solid performances.
Pain Hustlers is a complicated film — it’s got every ingredient to be decent, but it falls short of holding a candle to the films that have inspired it. Perhaps with some time to continue thinking and ruminating on the film I may finally understand my feelings about it and develop a greater appreciation for the craft therein. More likely, however, is that by this time next year I’ll completely forget that I’ve ever even watched it.
Although I don’t know how much credit the film itself can take for it, one of my favorite things about Pain Hustlers is the conversations that it inspires. I watched it with my wife, a graduate student studying the neurobiology of addiction, and after the credits rolled, we spent an hour discussing the ramifications of the conclusion of the film, and of the greater opioid crisis in our country. This isn’t the most nuanced, well-produced, or informative take on the crisis, but hopefully it can serve as a launching board for people to learn more about the troubles being faced by thousands of people every day and the systemic forces that have shaped those troubles.
Rating: It’s just ok
Pain Hustlers is currently streaming on Netflix
You can read more from Jake Hjort, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd