Gifted Pain

Pretty Woman meets John Wick in this gritty UK crime drama from filmmaker Tobias Jon.

Gifted Pain is set in urban England, and the lives of two characters are about to collide with violent and emotionally turbulent repercussions. Beth (Sarah Jane Duncan) was a university student hoping to become a nurse when a job as an exotic dancer (to help pay for her tuition fees) led her into an isolated and cruel existence as an unwilling sex worker.

During an altercation with her pimp and his goons, she is saved by Christopher (Tobias Jon), a stoic and brooding do-gooder with a special set of skills he doesn’t know he has, from years of consuming martial arts films. The pair strike up an unlikely friendship as they attempt to elude and defend themselves from the seemingly unending smorgasbord of sketchy bad guys looking to catch them.

The film showcases a technical dexterity that is impressive, capable of getting into the ring with the heavy-hitters of Hollywood, and the influence of both 80s archetypes like Stallone and Schwarzenegger, as well as modern action heroes played by the likes of Jason Statham and Vin Diesel, is clear.

The fighting choreography, whilst not John Wick or Jason Bourne standards, is pretty decent and lends the film an impressively sharp edge. Audiences are presented with strong music choices, a gritty and urban soundscape that really complements the film’s tone well. This is further enhanced by some fantastic location choices, utilising lots of alleyways, back streets, and sketchy parts of town.

Without looking at the credits, one may suspect Christopher is being played by the writer/director, which he is. Sadly, the film’s heavy reliance on Christopher as a central character meant more energy was needed in his dialogue scenes, even though he is a John Wick or Jack Reacher type. The portrayal has a puppy dog charm, whereas a more detached yet determined character was needed, one that could stand up to the emotionally charged, dramatic scenes. That being said, he handles himself brilliantly in the fighting sequences and viewers will be wincing for days after viewing the bare-knuckle brutality.

Dylan Baldwin is a formidable baddie, and Sarah Jane Duncan is the beating heart of the movie for this critic, stealing every scene she’s in with a deft portrayal of this victim of prostitution.

Whilst the majority of Gifted Pain has a confident pacing, not rushing the scenes and utilising authentic dialogue, with plenty of effin’ and jeffin’, the latter half of the film descends into scores of fighting scenes, with a The Raid-style hallway fighting sequence. Which, whilst admirable, some viewers may find a little tedious.

Films like this have the danger of bordering on laddish fantasy, presenting a main character with a hero complex, but we get grounded in an emotional backstory for Christopher and this keeps a good balance throughout the run time. Tobias Jon proves himself to be a very capable filmmaker, with brilliant use of flashbacks to set the scenes, and he creates a memorable and immersive dynamic between the two characters that keeps it thrilling throughout.

Watch our Video Film Review of Gifted Pain.