Pain Hustlers Review Roundup

A new Netflix original starring Emily Blunt and Chris Evans quietly hit the streaming service today.

Directed by David Yates (Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts), the film follows Liza Drake, 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 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, the worsening medical condition of her daughter, and a growing awareness of the devastation the company is causing forces Liza to examine her choices.

Other stars include Catherine O'Hara, Chloe Coleman, Andy Garcia, Jay Duplass, Brian d'Arcy James and Amit Shah.

So far, the critics haven't loved it, with the film scoring 25% on Rotten Tomatoes from 61 reviews, which might explain how it managed to slip onto the platform without much fanfare despite the talent behind it.

Here's what the critics had to say.

Review roundup

• The Atlantic: In the end, the movie acts much like its characters: It diverts the viewer's attention with gaudy visuals and melodramatic plot points instead of ever coming close to telling a single uncomfortable truth.

• Rolling Stone: It does want you to feel horrible about the loss of life while presenting it through the filter of a warped, irony-saturated Horatio Alger story, however, and that's where the wild ride of it all gets too bumpy for its own good.

• Empire Magazine: It offers the bones of a compelling story, but one-note characters, riskless storytelling and creaky pacing prevent this film from making an impact. This is a prescription best left unfilled.

• Variety: Does Yates really think his shrill satire has gotten audiences so riled up that Pain Hustlers will compel them to change the world?

• Guardian: Blunt remains committed to the end but even she can't add a shine to the drab last act, the pleasure of seeing her on screen replaced with the pain of another undeserving project.