A Real Pain

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Daniel Oreskes, Liza Sadovy, Kurt Egyiawan, Ellora Torchia
Directed by: Jesse Eisenberg
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
2024

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two cousins (Jesse Eisenberg, Kueran Culkin) take a trip to visit Poland in honor of their grandmother, but their own tensions and differences emerge as they tour their family's homeland.

Review:

Tim: Jesse Eisenberg does an impressive job writing, directing, and starring in A Real Pain. This is a good movie that features one outstanding performance. I have to admit, I liked the movie more early on- as it progressed, it felt a bit derivative and circular. It's definitely a good film and it's one that shows a real eye for human drama and effective writing, but I also think Eisenberg's relative lack of directorial experience does hold the movie back.

First off, the film's premise is fantastic- two cousins who are as different as they can be inherited money from their beloved grandmother to visit Poland together. These two characters are radically different, although they have a deep shared history and love of each other. And, that's it- the simple premises are sometimes the best. We go on this journey with them, as they discover Poland, their people's tragedy in concentration camps, and something about themselves and each other. It's entertaining and it's interesting. I liked the movie.

What's most attractive early on are the differences between these two characters. Eisenberg plays a version of himself, the kind of character he usually plays- he's timid, intellectual, a rule-follower. A bit of a wet blanket, but an upstanding, responsible one. We do like him, although he wears his flaws on his sleeve. Kieran Culkin is a revelation here, though. He dives headfirst into this other cousin, one who is lost- the most charismatic person in the room, but a man with deep troubles resting on his soul. His Benji is a remarkable achievement- I've known people exactly like this. They can be people people- connect effortlessly with others, amplify those around them. However, they also have inner demons constantly nipping at them. Culkin pulls these two extremes together in a powerhouse performance- he's suave, careless, energetic, broken. It's spellbinding to watch this character on screen- how he lights up a room, and how he snuffs others out. The writing is superb- Eisenberg gives Culkin so many terrific, memorable one-liners. They're the kind of things you hear and go, "Wait a minute..." Culkin is hilarious in this film. Last night I watched the Academy Awards, and no surprise, Culkin won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. I think this is incredibly well-deserved, but I want to highlight the win for a moment. Culkin seemingly wanted to quit this production at one point. But, Eisenberg writes and directs a film, casts Culkin in the second role, and he gives him the opportunity for Culkin to hit an absolute home run with this performance. That's a cool story. I love that Culkin won for this scene-stealing role. So many supporting performances are all doom and gloom, mining the deepest darkest places of characters. I love that Culkin did this, but also brings impeccable comedic timing into one of the most charismatic, fun roles I've seen in recent years. Culkin is the biggest reason to see this film.

So, why didn't I love this movie more? As the film progresses, it does feel like Eisenberg doesn't have quite enough to say. We get the dynamic between the cousins. He establishes their differences early on. And, Culkin just crushes scene after scene. And then, we get a lot of variations of the same thing. Sure, things slowly increase to a boiling point, but the back half of the middle of the film feels somewhat circular. I wanted more movement, I needed to see the story progress more than it did. The narrative loses some steam before collecting itself for the finale. It feels like the characters eventually do have it out, but I'm not sure either of them really changes. After the conclusion of the film, will Benji or David do anything different? Perhaps not. We needed something to make it feel like this trip was worth taking. Without a sense of how these characters might change, it feels like the whole thing is less effective than it should have been. I could see how this trip fades from both of their memories as they return to their normal lives. Maybe that's the point, but if so, I'd rather see a trip they take that changes them. That's the better movie.

One other complaint I have- I think Eisenberg the director does a great job of focusing on human drama, but he has much less confidence in a sense of place. These characters go to Poland and want to see the Concentration Camps, but also how their people lived. I myself am Polish, and I've always wanted to visit my homeland, too. Nothing in this film sparked any interest or urgency in me visiting. We see the characters move around Poland, we see them look at statues, buildings, try new food. But, there's nothing compelling about any of it. Eisenberg is so focused on the characters that he almost forgets about the place. I get the sense that he didn't really like Poland- there's no love for the country apparent in this film. I've traveled a lot and it feels like Eisenberg approaches the country from a cold, removed perspective. A better director would have highlighted just a bit more of the beauty of the country, the awe you feel by being in a new place. That might feel small, but I think it matters.

The supporting cast is solid, but a bit unremarkable. Eisenberg isn't really interested in them. It was fun seeing Jennifer Grey get a supporting role, and she's solid in it. Will Sharpe gives a great performance- it's a bit thankless, but he elevates the character. Kurt Egyiawan was fantastic. I wish he had a slightly larger role, I wish we could have spent a bit more time with his character. He is so authentically strong in the performance, I liked his character so much- I just wish we dove a bit deeper into who he is.

Outside of Culkin's well-deserved win, A Real Pain was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay. While I don't think it had a real chance of winning, it wasn't completely out of the mix, either. Eisenberg does a pretty fantastic job with much of the dialogue. The film feels authentic, lived in. The dialogue between the characters is funny, entertaining. It sparkles and jumps off the page. Culkin is excellent, but he looks even better because of what Eisenberg wrote for his character. I like Eisenberg, although I do become exasperated with his shtick at times. However, he obviously has real talent and I sincerely hope he keeps writing and directing. As he gains experience, I think he has truly great films in him. The human drama in this movie is excellent, his writing is absolutely deserving of the Academy Award nomination. As he develops a greater sense of urgency and how to deliver an emotional punch in his films, I do foresee incredibly strong movies in his future.

In the end, I liked A Real Pain. I almost wish I could rate it 7.25 (but I have to draw the line somewhere or this whole thing becomes unwieldy). It's not quite strong enough from a narrative standpoint for me to give it the higher score, though. So, it's a good movie that features exceptionally strong writing and one truly spectacular performance. I often disagree with the Academy's choices, but in this case, I think they acknowledged the two right things, and Culkin absolutely deserved to win.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Adventureland, The End of the Tour, Igby Goes Down