Featuring an exceptional performance by Kieran Culkin, Eisenberg writes, produces, directs and stars in this unassuming comedy-drama that was shot primarily in Poland, about two incompatible Jewish cousins on a Holocaust tour to remember their late grandmother.
Review #2,941
Dir. Jesse Eisenberg
2024 | USA, Poland | Drama, Comedy | 90min | 1.85:1 | English & Polish
M18 (passed clean) for language throughout and some drug use
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan
Plot: Mismatched cousins reunite for a tour through Poland to honour their beloved grandmother, but their old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Awards: Won Screenwriting Award & Nom. for Grand Jury Prize – U.S. Dramatic (Sundance); Won 1 Oscar – Best Supporting Actor & Nom. for 1 Oscar – Best Original Screenplay
International Sales: CAA Media Finance / WME Independent (SG: Disney)
Accessibility Index
Subject Matter: Mismatched Cousins; Holocaust; Family History; Friendships
Narrative Style: Straightforward
Pace: Normal
Audience Type: Slightly Mainstream
Viewed: In Theatres
Spoilers: No
After the critical letdown that was Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial feature debut, When You Finish Saving the World (2022), he makes a welcome comeback with the unassuming comedy-drama A Real Pain.
Written, produced, directed and starring Eisenberg, this co-production with Poland, takes us to Warsaw and the Majdanek concentration camp on the outskirts of the city of Lublin.
Through the exploits of David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin, who’s a solid bet to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), two Jewish cousins with opposite personalities, the film follows them on a scenic tour to remember their late Polish grandmother, a survivor of the Holocaust.
A trip down into the painful annals of history, yet concocted with the kind of witty levity that Eisenberg is very much capable of, A Real Pain balances laughs and tears with aplomb.
“Now, it may seem obvious, but a word of warning, this will be a tour about pain.”
Yet, the true spark of the film lies in the exceptional chemistry between Culkin and Eisenberg, who play off each other without breaking any sweat.
Culkin’s character is a sharpshooter and utterly honest with his thoughts, though they may be somewhat warped, and at times, insensitive. Eisenberg’s, on the other hand, is level-headed if a tad socially awkward.
Although not quite the buddy movie for the ages, A Real Pain benefits from seeing how David and Benji realign their fraught relationship as the film progresses. It’s a treat of excellent character writing and performance.
At the same time, Eisenberg asks us to remember our roots, wherever we are in the world, and to be grateful to ourselves for being us. Ultimately, we need to decide to take a leap of faith to find our true selves, or simply be contented with what we have and approach life with measured grace.
Grade: B+
Trailer:
Music:
Eternality Tan 