Review: 'The Workout'

 

Review: 

'The Workout'

No, this is not a good movie. No, this is not a bad movie. This is just a movie. And in today’s Hollywood, that is something to be applauded. Because getting a film made — and released — is no small feat. Let’s be real: Hollywood is hard for everyone, but if you’re Asian, it’s even harder.

The Setup

The premise is almost absurd enough to work. Wyatt (Peter Jae), a former Army Ranger, makes fitness videos with his pregnant wife, Becca (Galadriel Stineman, Until Dawn), and brother-in-law Levi (Josh Kelly). They’re all strapped into body cams — a hilarious visual gag that eventually folds into the film’s central gimmick. A family that works out together, fights together.

Things spiral quickly. Goons arrive. Guns go off. Becca is shot. Wyatt slips into a coma. Becca’s baby survives via emergency C-section. And Levi launches a fundraiser to keep Wyatt’s gym alive. That’s just the first act. Then comes the kicker: Wyatt wakes up, only to be diagnosed with a terminal brain condition. With his memories fading, he decides his daughter’s legacy will be a vigilante revenge video diary. Yes, you read that right.

The Gimmick

Director/co-writer James Cullen Bressack leans hard on POV shots and body cam footage. On paper, it gives The Workout an edge, something different in a crowded action market. At times, that energy is there — the gonzo commitment to perspective can be fun, even audacious. However, the experiment often stumbles. A body cam during an MRI? Impossible. A character who isn’t wearing one suddenly has a POV feed? Unexplained. Night-vision in well-lit hallways? Pure inconsistency.

Even the fights — the one thing this kind of film has to nail — get undercut by rapid-fire cuts. Instead of letting Peter Jae and Josh Kelly do what they clearly can, the editing distracts. Hardcore Henry proved POV action can work, but The Workout shows how quickly it can go sideways.

The Cast

The talent isn’t the problem. Jae has the presence to pull off a straight-ahead revenge flick. He’s not Jason Statham, but he doesn’t need to be. Kelly gives him steady backup. Stineman, though limited in screen time, makes her presence felt. Ashlee Evans-Smith as Tank adds physical credibility. There’s a foundation here that could have worked — and that’s what makes the missed opportunities sting.

The Problem

Consistency. If Wyatt wants his daughter to see him “fighting for justice,” why the mask? Why chase down thugs on tape when a series of workout videos would’ve been a more lasting (and healthier) legacy? These lapses in logic accumulate, undermining the entire narrative.

The Verdict

Here’s the thing: The Workout has all the ingredients for a perfectly serviceable action flick — a charismatic lead, a capable supporting cast, and a simple revenge plot. But instead of trusting that, Bressack bets on a gimmick that doesn’t quite land. The result is a movie that keeps tripping over itself, even while you want to root for it.

Still, I circle back to the opening point: this movie exists. And that matters. It premiered at Fantastic Fest 2024. The director spoke passionately about the necessity of creating without permission, without gatekeepers. That drive is visible on the screen. And in an industry rocked by strikes and uncertainty, maybe there’s value in reminding ourselves why we make movies in the first place: to have fun telling stories.

Will The Workout change the game? No. But it’s earned its spot — flaws and all.

Now streaming.

CAST

• Peter Jae — Wyatt Park

• Josh Kelly — Levi

• Ashlee Evans-Smith — Tank

• Galadriel Stineman — Becca

• Augie Duke — Monroe

• Kristos Andrews — Tony Lorenzo

• David Joshua Lawrence — Detective O'Brien

• Maurice LaMarche — Michael Lorenzo

• BJ Hendricks — Dr. Kelly

• Jesse Kove — Trent

• James Cullen Bressack — Glitch

• Anjelino Chabrieay — Sal

• Chloe Hakola — Becca

• Nick Annunziata — Gio Antonucci

• Todd Senofonte — Luke Lorenzo

• Mario Daggett — Paul

• Adam Hutchinson — Bouncer

• Anna Harr — Alice

• Samantha Mack — Tiffany

• Brett Wheat — Bryan

• Molly Feinstein — Amber

CREDITS

Director:
James Cullen Bressack

Writers:
James Cullen Bressack
David Joshua Lawrence

Producers:
James Cullen Bressack, p.g.a.
Jarrett Furst, p.g.a.
Ben Stobber
David Joshua Lawrence

Executive Producers:
Valentina Cau
Mario Niccolo Messina

Co-Executive Producers:
BJ Hendricks
Gregori J. Martin
James Rundquist

Co-Producers:
Jessica Russo
Michele Kanan