A Real Pain
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Keiran Culkin, Jennifer Grey
Directed By: Jesse Eisenberg
Cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Keiran Culkin) set off on a trip through Poland to see the place that their recently deceased Grandma Dory grew up. During the trip, they take part in a Holocaust tour to pay respects to their Polish heritage. Along the way, the two attempt to find common ground despite their many personal differences.
Writer, director, and lead actor Jesse Eisenberg excels with the screenplay of A Real Pain. The film explores themes like grief, familial dynamics, and generational trauma. I was particularly struck by how realistic the familial dymanics between David and Benji felt in this film. Eisenberg never hits you over the head with over-the-top emotional beats, yet this is still a brilliant character study on two completely different individuals bound together by their family ties.
David is the straight-laced corporate family man. Benji is the wildcard living off the beaten path who lights up every room he walks into…until the light burns too brightly and fades out.
Keiran Culkin is incredible in the film. While at first, it feels like he’s doing a stoned Roman Roy from Succession, he peels back more layers and adds so much emotional vulnerability. As the film goes on, he showcases a man clearly struggling with grief and depression. He is the life of the party one moment, making everyone’s day. At the next, he is at his lowest. Culkin makes the audience laugh and then proceeds to make us cringe with his portrayal of Benji. It’s both devastating and fascinating.
Eisenberg is just as good, showing how it feels to live in the shadow of someone struggling mentally. At times, he is in awe of Benji’s free-spirit attitude. He never knows what he’ll say or do next. While Benji hogs the attention, David is always in the corner cleaning up his mess. Eisenberg is impressive at highlighting the neurotic tendencies of someone with social anxiety and how they would react to a figure like Benji. Eisenberg’s energy with Culkin is fantastic as the two create an odd-couple dynamic.
There’s something to be said for the way A Real Pain tackles men’s emotions. I see very few films these days with two male leads openly talking about and processing their complex emotions including grief and anxiety. I’m impressed to see a film that deals with these things in such a raw and honest way.
The film’s ensemble includes a group of tourists from all around the world including Marcia (Jennifer Grey), couple Mark and Diane (Daniel Oreskes and Liza Sadovy), Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan), and British tour guide James (Will Sharpe). Each tourist wants to learn as much as they can about their family history in Poland. It’s striking how A Real Pain utilizes various locations in Poland (including a concentration camp) and showcases the emotional effects of such a horrific place on the different characters.
A Real Pain is a fantastic character study on generational trauma, family dynamics, and complicated grief. Jesse Eisenberg toes the line of comedy and drama to create a truly impressive film.
My Rating: 9/10