A Real Pain Review: Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin Backpacking in Poland

   November 19, 2024

The announcement of Jesse Eisenberg’s sophomore film, A Real Pain, immediately intrigued me—especially with Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin cast as feuding cousins. Eisenberg brings his signature unsure, self-deprecating energy, while Culkin channels the same twitchy, sharp delivery that made him unforgettable in his Emmy-winning Succession role. The two are a seamless pairing, and their dynamic powers the film, creating an engaging and effective core that drives A Real Pain to standout results.

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A Real Pain (2024)
Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A Real Pain (2024)
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Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin star as mismatched cousins David and Benji in A Real Pain, embarking on a backpacking trip through Poland to honor their late grandmother’s wish. Benji, who was closest to their grandmother, is grappling with unprocessed grief while also struggling with his own sense of direction. Without a steady job or meaningful relationship, Benji feels adrift, burdened by a sense of purposelessness and the weight of life’s hardships.

David, in stark contrast to Benji, has a stable life with a wife, a son, and a job in digital ad sales. He exudes a quiet confidence, having structured his life in a way that leaves him feeling no need to prove himself. This self-assuredness makes him more reserved and closed off compared to Benji. While Benji, with his loud and abrasive personality, easily connects with others on the tour, David remains focused on quietly absorbing the sights and fulfilling his grandmother’s final wish.

Similar to Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut, When You Finish Saving the World, A Real Pain builds toward a few raw, emotionally charged moments. These scenes are intense, filled with anger and visceral energy, contrasting sharply with the film’s otherwise lighthearted tone. While the movie doesn’t linger on every stop of the tour, it dedicates significant attention to the most meaningful locations. One standout sequence takes place at a preserved concentration camp, a chilling and profoundly affecting scene that ranks among the most harrowing moments you’ll see in a movie in 2024.

A Real Pain also delivers deeply personal emotional moments for David and Benji. In one memorable dinner scene, David unpacks his fraught relationship with Benji in a monologue that feels like it’s straight out of an awards-season reel. Eisenberg masterfully commands the frame, conveying David’s pent-up frustrations and sorrow as he recounts how their bond unraveled over the years. It’s a pivotal scene, blending raw emotion with sharp storytelling, and it leaves a lasting impression.

Kieran Culkin also shines with moments that allow Benji’s arc to take center stage, especially in the film’s final scenes. These moments weave together the emotional threads left lingering throughout the story. While the climactic emotional bursts don’t culminate in a fully fleshed-out scene, the closing shot is poignant and revealing. It captures Benji’s uncertainty about his future while showing his comfort in blending into a crowd. This visual ties beautifully to the opening sequence, where he sits in an airport, similarly adrift as he waits to board his flight.

A Real Pain may not dig deep enough to strike cinematic gold, but it stands out as one of the year’s more impactful films. It balances simplicity with emotional resonance, using its brevity and grounded tone to its advantage. The film’s mundane moments feel authentic, while its specific, idiosyncratic scenes add depth and texture.

Though it borrows the structure of a buddy road trip movie, A Real Pain transcends the genre with its emotional weight and thoughtful storytelling. Beneath the surface of its humor and lighthearted façade lies a story that’s heavy, raw, and at times, genuinely painful. It’s a poignant, well-crafted film that I liked quite a bit.

Score: 7/10

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