Pain Hustlers is a 2023 American black comedy crime film co-produced and directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Wells Tower, based on the 2022 book of the same name by Evan Hughes.
The film stars Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy García, Catherine O'Hara, Jay Duplass, Brian d'Arcy James, and Chloe Coleman.
Thinking the job is over, Liza returns to Dr. Lydell's office, her first sales attempt, to collect some Tupperware and overhears a cancer patient discussing a commonly prescribed drug's side effects.
After Lydell is arrested in a DEA sting, a desperate Liza asks Neel for help paying for the surgery but he exhorts her to use Phoebe's situation as "fire" for inspiration, like he did when his wife was dying from cancer and he came up with Lonafen.
When a friend's husband dies from a Lonafen overdose and her condolences are rejected, Liza agrees to testify to the U.S. Attorney's office that's investigating Zanna.
After Liza unsuccessfully attempts to procure a printout from Pete's jacket, he is arrested, though Neel offers to take care of his family while he's in prison.
After a heartfelt apology in court and the prosecution's recommendation that Liza not serve time in order not to discourage future whistleblowers, she is still sentenced to 15 months, as her greed cost lives.
After Liza's release, she partners with some of the previous Zanna reps to form the skin care company she and Jackie had envisioned years ago.
In August 2021, Sony Pictures announced the development of an untitled film directed by David Yates and written by Wells Tower, based on the Evan Hughes' New York Times Magazine article "The Pain Hustlers" from May 2, 2018,[5] and his subsequent book The Hard Sell released in January 2022.
[8] In August, Andy Garcia, Catherine O'Hara, Jay Duplass, Brian d'Arcy James, and Chloe Coleman were added to the cast.
The website's consensus reads: "Pain Hustlers has some great actors and a worthwhile premise, but lackluster execution dooms this dramatic look at the opioid epidemic.