Whether or not as a star or producer, Mark Wahlberg has discovered constant success in adapting true tales. 2025 noticed him again the Prime Video docuseries Cocaine Quarterback: Sign Caller for the Cartel, an account of Owen Hanson‘s journey from USC soccer star to imprisoned drug kingpin that earned stable critiques from critics. Earlier than that, in 2024, Arthur the King paired the star with a stray canine as his adventuring companion in an adaptation of Mikael Lindnord‘s memoir. One among his most acclaimed movies, The Fighter, equally succeeded by putting him within the boxing gloves of Micky Ward in a characteristic impressed by the documentary Excessive on Crack Road: Misplaced Lives in Lowell Nevertheless, tapping actual accounts has additionally resulted in actual controversy for the Oscar nominee.
Directed by Michael Bay, 2013’s Ache & Acquire paired Wahlberg with a DCEU alum, Dwayne Johnson, and a present member of the MCU, Anthony Mackie, to inform a narrative impressed by the crimes of the Solar Gymnasium gang. The movie relies on a sequence of Miami New Instances articles from 1999 and follows Daniel Lugo (Wahlberg) and his accomplices on a quest to meet their American dream by extorting wealth from a distinguished businessman, performed by Tony Shalhoub. Bay and writers Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus leaned into the weird nature of the gang’s scheme and turned it into against the law comedy, incomes reward from some for its boldness in flirting with dangerous style for laughs, whereas additionally sparking criticism for its historic inaccuracies and the way it affords a lighter portrayal of the criminals. Shalhoub’s character, who was based mostly on the primary sufferer of the Solar Gymnasium gang’s plan, was additionally the main target of a defamation lawsuit.
For these excited about watching the movie to make their very own judgments, time is operating out to catch it free of charge on Pluto TV, because it’s slated to depart the ad-supported platform on the finish of the month. General, critics and audiences weren’t impressed, giving the movie a 49% and a 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively, however Ache & Acquire did modestly properly on the field workplace with an $86.2 million haul on a funds of simply $26 million. Collider’s assessment on the time gave it a B+, with Matt Goldberg calling it “an oddly earnest private assertion about being responsible as charged for merely enjoying right into a pre-existing entitlement. It’s a loud, apparent, infantile, turgid, and grandiose assertion wrapped in an insane farce, however it is by some means endearing nonetheless.”
Wahlberg Is Gearing Up for a Return to Apple TV
Wahlberg has most just lately been having fun with loads of streaming success thanks primarily to the sequel to his megahit motion comedy, The Household Plan, on Apple TV. That will proceed quickly, as he already has one other movie lined up for the platform — Weekend Warriors. Based mostly on the German sports activities dramedy Weekend Rebels, which was itself adapting Mirco and Jason von Juterczenka‘s autobiographical e-book, Wir Wochenendrebellen, it casts Wahlberg as a dad serving to his autistic son choose his favourite NBA crew by taking him to see all of them in individual. It will mark the newest effort from writer-director Stephen Chbosky, who’s recent off helming one other heartwarming biographical comedy-drama, the Vince Vaughn-starring Nonnas. Filming was underway late final 12 months, however a date has but to be set for its launch.
Ache & Acquire is now obtainable to observe free of charge by the top of the month. Keep tuned right here at Collider for extra on the most important movies coming to and leaving streaming all year long.
