Chris Long is an ex-NCAA basketball player turned trainer who finds a new purpose when his gym's new owner, Jack, unleashes a lucrative plan to turn the neglected business into a reality show. When Chris' co-workers resist this new direction, he and Jack form an unlikely alliance that allows them to face the demons of their pasts and ultimately, save the gym's future.
Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a score of 14% based on 7 reviews, with an average score of 2.52/10.[4] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 24 out of 100 based on 6 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".
Dumbbells attracted media attention in France in January 2016, when Netflix released a dubbed version of very low quality. The French version, which had been recorded in South Africa by non-professional actors, was called "the worst dubbing in history".[5] Netflix reacted to the negative reception by removing the film from its French platform[6] and ordering a redub by Titrafilm studio.[7]
