The highly anticipated film “Pain Hustlers” is set to grace both the silver screen and streaming platforms soon. Scheduled for release in select theaters on October 20th, the film will be available for streaming on Netflix starting October 27th.
In this gripping drama based on real events, Emily Blunt, aged 40, and Chris Evans, aged 42, assume the roles of pharmaceutical sales representatives dealing with opioids.
The recently revealed trailer introduces us to Blunt’s character, Liza Drake, a woman in her 40s who is determined to improve her financial situation and provide a better life for her daughter. Liza’s path crosses with Pete Brenner, portrayed by Chris Evans, during a job interview. She persuades Pete to hire her at his pharmaceutical sales company, and it doesn’t take long for Liza to learn that selling drug prescriptions on commission is the key to financial success in this industry.
As Liza excels in the pharmaceutical business, she starts recruiting her own employees. However, as the money flows in, the FBI begins to investigate their activities, and Liza herself begins to question the moral implications of her choices.
The official film synopsis describes Liza as “a blue-collar single mother who has just lost her job and is at her wit’s end.” A chance encounter with Pete Brenner, a pharmaceutical sales representative, sends her on a path to financial gain but moral uncertainty as she becomes embroiled in a dangerous racketeering scheme. Dealing with her increasingly unstable boss (Andy Garcia), her daughter’s deteriorating health (Chloe Coleman), and growing awareness of the devastation caused by the company, Liza is forced to reevaluate her choices.
Netflix characterizes the film as a “sharp and revealing look at what some people do out of desperation and others do out of greed.”
“Pain Hustlers” is directed by David Yates, known for directing the final four Harry Potter films and the Fantastic Beasts spinoffs. The screenplay is penned by Wells Tower, adapted from Evan Hughes’s 2018 article in The New York Times Magazine and the subsequent book “Pain Hustlers: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup.”
Netflix acquired global distribution rights for the film at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. In addition to the stellar performances by Blunt and Evans, the cast includes Catherine O’Hara, Jay Duplass, Brian d’Arcy James, Amit Shah, Aubrey Dollar, Willie Raysor, and Andy Garcia.
Don’t miss the theatrical release of “Pain Hustlers” on October 20th, followed by its Netflix streaming debut on October 27th.”