Sometimes it is just too difficult to believe a story is true.
If a Hollywood screenwriter created the story behind Pain & Gain it could quite rightly have been rejected for being too fanciful.
But, strangely, Daniel Lugo's (Mark Wahlberg) story is true and almost defies belief.
Lugo is a Florida personal trainer and bodybuilder. He helps make the rich and beautiful fitter and stronger, but comes to realise his life is going nowhere and no matter how hard he works, things aren't going to get any better.
When rich businessman Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub) comes on board as a client and boasts of his abundant wealth, an idea hatches in Lugo's mind.