Pain Hustlers

R

Released Oct 20, 2023

2 hr. 2 min.

Crime

Drama

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List

23%

112 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Liza Drake (Emily Blunt) is a blue-collar single mom who has just lost her job and is at the end of her rope. A chance meeting with pharmaceutical sales rep Pete Brenner (Chris Evans) puts her on an upwards trajectory economically but dubious path ethically as she becomes entangled in a dangerous racketeering scheme. Dealing with her increasingly unhinged boss (Andy Garcia), the worsening medical condition of her daughter (Chloe Coleman), and a growing awareness of the devastation the company is causing forces Liza to examine her choices. Pain Hustlers is a sharp and revealing look at what some people do out of desperation and others do out of greed.

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Critics Consensus

Pain Hustlers has some great actors and a worthwhile premise, but lackluster execution dooms this dramatic look at the opioid epidemic.

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Tony P

I'm not a very big Emily Blunt fan and have always thought she was kind of fake but a somewhat ok/decent actress! This doesn't mean I don't think she pick's great project's to do like Sicario and Merry Poppins which were both huge hits! Pain Hustler's just wasn't as great or completely terrible or even good but not great or awesome either! If that makes sense!?

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/25/24

Full Review

Pongo K

A fictional story, but closely relatet do reality. Worth the time.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/17/24

Full Review

Cristian s

Buena película, buen ritmo que cuenta una historia interesante basada en hechos reales. Seguro que por el tema que trata podría haber sido mas cruda y dramática aunque también podría haber terminado cayendo en lo morboso, no hizo ninguna de las 2 cosas quedándose en un punto medio del que sale bastante airosa.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/13/24

Full Review

Torin F

PAIN HUSTLERS depicts the loosely fact-based tale of Insys Therapeutics and the early years of the opioid crisis, combining elements of self-made success story, corporate biopic and crime drama to create a thoroughly entertaining film that engages larger social issues while remaining grounded in the experience of compelling characters. The skillfully-balanced telling neither sensationalizes the everyday tragedy of the emerging opioid crisis nor demonizes the perpetuators, allowing for a nuanced and insightful depiction of a complex and uniquely American problem. The abysmal RT critic's consensus rating is truly baffling here.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/24

Full Review

Luciano G

I enjoyed it. Emily Blunt consistently delivers a high level of acting, and the movie delivers exactly what it promised — nothing less, nothing more.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/24

Full Review

Ronald H

If you think making a comedy about a crooked pharmaceutical company who uses pill mill doctors to promote its version of Fentanyl is a tasteless idea, you would be correct. The tone changes to "serious" in the last third, and Emily Blunt's pharmaceutical rep character eventually develops a conscience. But the tonal shift can't redeem this loser.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/17/24

Full Review

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David Yates

Director

Emily Blunt

Liza Drake

Chris Evans

Actor

Andy Garcia

Actor

Catherine O'Hara

Actor

Amit Shah

Actor

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Pain Hustlers: Trailer 1

2:12

Pain Hustlers: Teaser

0:48

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Jocelyn Noveck

Associated Press

Pain Hustlers feels like a retreading of the same ground covered in other recent works, bringing nothing especially new to the table and, in splitting the stylistic difference between slick/breezy and poignant/authentic, succeeding fully at neither.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 30, 2023

Full Review

Devan Coggan

Entertainment Weekly

It's plenty entertaining, but not particularly thoughtful — just enough depth to fill a prescription pad, not a whole book.

Rated: B-

Oct 30, 2023

Full Review

Liz Shannon Miller

Consequence

Pain Husters manages to avoid feeling like an Adam McKay remake of Dopesick, but its shifting tone never quite hits the right notes.

Rated: C+

Oct 27, 2023

Full Review

Pete Vonder Haar

Houston Press

The biggest crime? They made Catherine O'Hara boring.

Rated: 2/5

Jan 25, 2024

Full Review

Ian Bunting

Daily Record (UK)

Pain Hustlers lacks the edge, bite and frenetic charm of Scorsese’s [The Wolf of Wall Street], as well as other similar films. It doesn’t hurt to watch, though, and is worth prescribing to others just for the performances of a committed cast.

Dec 13, 2023

Full Review

Stephanie Archer

Film Inquiry

Emily Blunt and Chris Evans are both standouts in the film, though the film's premise delivers a fatigue in subject matter that at times leaves its existence in the film feeling hollow and never completely emotionally invested.

Dec 9, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

Liza Drake (Emily Blunt) is a blue-collar single mom who has just lost her job and is at the end of her rope. A chance meeting with pharmaceutical sales rep Pete Brenner (Chris Evans) puts her on an upwards trajectory economically but dubious path ethically as she becomes entangled in a dangerous racketeering scheme. Dealing with her increasingly unhinged boss (Andy Garcia), the worsening medical condition of her daughter (Chloe Coleman), and a growing awareness of the devastation the company is causing forces Liza to examine her choices. Pain Hustlers is a sharp and revealing look at what some people do out of desperation and others do out of greed.

Director: David Yates
Executive Producer: Ben Everard, Mark Moran, Lewis Taylor
Screenwriter: Wells Tower
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Grey Matters Productions, Wychwood Media
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Drug Use|Nudity|Language Throughout)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 20, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 27, 2023
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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