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A Real Pain (2024)

2024 • 1h 30m • Drama, Comedy • R
On September 25, 2026
#12606▼ 6172
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All reviews

Brent Marchant on A Real Pain

7/10 · Nov 16, 2024

The journey of self-discovery, particularly when trying to reclaim aspects of ourselves that feel lost, can be a revealing, illuminating, and occasionally difficult experience, especially if we're unsure where to begin the search. Many people attempt to resolve this by exploring their family history and heritage, hoping it will offer answers. This is the path taken by two cousins, David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin), who embark on a personal trip to Poland to visit the former home of their cherished grandmother, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to America after World War II. Once very close, David and Benji have grown apart, developing into distinct individuals, but they hope this journey will help them reconnect. As they travel, they confront shifts in both their relationship and their understanding of themselves—their ambitions, their cultural identity as Polish Jews, and how they interact with the world. This process proves challenging for these sincere explorers, especially when they realize that to truly understand themselves, they must look inward rather than seeking answers externally. The film's title works well on several levels, not only reflecting Benji’s frequently erratic, impulsive, and unpredictable behavior but also capturing the emotional distress David and Benji endure as they navigate this difficult situation. This second directorial effort from Eisenberg is quite good, although the road trip/buddy movie storyline could benefit from occasional adjustments to improve its focus and balance between humor and serious moments. More importantly, Culkin delivers a standout performance, demonstrating his potential with strong material—a portrayal worthy of recognition. The film’s beautiful cinematography showcasing Polish landmarks and scenery, combined with an appropriate Frédéric Chopin score, contributes to a deeply thoughtful movie that could prompt anyone in a similar situation to consider their own lives, something everyone can gain from occasionally, regardless of what they're seeking.

Source on TMDB