3. Inspired (Misguidedly) By The American Dream, Daniel Lugo Kidnaps & Tortures Victor Kershaw - Pain & Gain
Michael Bay's tremendously underrated action flick is a biting (if wildly unsubtle) satire of the American Dream, made clear by the quest of fitness trainer ex-con protagonist Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) to pursue it by any means necessary. Spurred on by motivational speeches and positive thinking, Lugo horrendously misinterprets the notion of the Dream, kidnapping one of his clients, the well-off Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), and torturing him into handing over the keys to his estate. The ludicrously deluded nature of Lugo's plan only accentuates Bay's barmy critique of American doer-ism, and is a pitch-perfect example of someone reacting wildly to something intended to not exactly be taken at literal value.