Movie Review: A Real Pain (2024)

Anything but a pain to sit through.

Preface

A Real Pain is the second feature length film from writer-director-actor Jesse Eisenberg and it is a massive improvement over his first time in the director’s chair (When You Finish Saving The World) due to not only containing a stronger vision in this department, but also providing a more engaging, complex portrait of two different characters even if they may not be the most likable beings in the world.

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A Tale Of Two Cousins

Right away (as I mentioned earlier), Eisenberg’s writing for this film is stellar and makes for one of the biggest reasons this film keeps you invested in it from beginning to end. First of all, the film does an incredible job in presenting two opposing central protagonists that you immediately fall for and continue to root for as the film progresses. David (played by Eisenberg himself) and Benji (played by Kieran Culkin) are two cousins who go on a trip to Poland to learn about its history since it was their home country (with an integral aspect of the story being them wanting to visit the home of their dead grandmother). Instantly, these two characters are established as individuals that have their own share of strengths and weaknesses, most notably with David being more modest & soft spoken about his emotions while Benji is a more charismatic, splashy guy who is not afraid to pour out his thoughts and communicate how he feels whatsoever. As their journey develops, we get more insight into their past along with the relationship they share between each other in manners that are as sharp from a comedic standpoint (which I will talk about later) as they are deeply thoughtful. This makes for a riveting exploration of love, reconciliation, grief, and grappling with trauma/depression that contains earned emotional beats because of how well we get to know these two characters as human beings while also being deeply likable at the same time. Everything from the character work, dialogue, themes, and narrative flow culminates into a screenplay that feels fleshed out from a story standpoint while also crafting a pair of main characters that you become attached to without a doubt to be had.

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Second Times the Charm

Not only does Eisenberg step up his game as a writer, but he definitely shows a hefty amount of refinement as a director. You can tell that he has a ton of passion for creating scenes in which he lets characters just be themselves and having interactions that pull you into the story despite how dramatic or comedic they are. Plus, he does an excellent job in melding drama and comedy together in a natural way without having one setting in the spotlight for too long. Something that I found particularly clever about how some of the comedy was brought to life here was how it was utilized for Benji as a way to illustrate his main facade as a character. I will talk about this a little more when I talk about his performance, but it is a directorial choice that I thought was incredibly smart and brought out a hidden layer of pathos to the film even though it comes off as hilarious on the surface. Also, Eisenberg’s approach to craftsmanship feels more inspired here than it was in When You Finish Saving The World. How he utilizes Michał Dymek’s great cinematography, the fantastic editing by Robert Nassau, and music makes for a strongly presented film that captures both the beauty and desolation of the story and the emotional journey that both David & Benji go on as characters.

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A Highly Talented Cast

The last element of the film that I will talk about is the cast, who I all found to be very strong and memorable in their own way. First up, there is Jesse Eisenberg as David, who I found to be really good in portraying a placid character that shares a strong bond with Benji in spite of how difficult he can be at times. There is one monologue that he delivers in a scene involving a dinner that is especially noteworthy because of how brilliant the dialogue is and how much Eisenberg sells it through the amount of sadness in his line deliveries. Of course though, I have to say that the main MVP of the entire cast would have to be Kieran Culkin as Benji. I only just got done watching the movie and this is a performance I am starting to continuously like more & more the longer I think about it. It is an absolutely genius, dynamic powerhouse of a performance that is filled with a ton of spectacular choices that work organically in his portrayal of a character who is a highly energetic and lovable personality that contains a hidden coating of melancholy that showcases how truly broken of a person he is because of his past. Everything from how he uses his humor as a veneer to cope with his sorrow, the abundant amount of emotional depth he brings to the performance, and the chemistry that he shares with Eisenberg all make for an unforgettable performance that I consider to be one of my favorites of the entire year. There is also some supporting performances from Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, and Kurt Egyiawan that I thought were very welcome additions that manage to bring something to their portrayals of members of the Poland tour.

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Conclusion

On the whole, A Real Pain is a phenomenal movie that serves as a proper definition of a “perfect crowd pleaser”. It provides the audience with just as many laughs as compelling, character-driven drama that gravitates you from start to finish and leaves a lasting impact on you from an emotional standpoint, making for one of the most enjoyable and thought-provoking films you will see all year.

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A Real Pain is currently in theaters now!

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