A Real Pain (2024)

Director: Jesse Eisenberg

Starring: Kieran Culkin, Jesse Eisenberg, Olha Bosova

Mismatched cousins reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, but their old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.

Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg) are Jewish cousins, who go on a Heritage tour to Warsaw, Poland. Their recently deceased Grandmother lived in Warsaw, and they wanted to see where she lived.

Benji is a free spirit, outspoken, eccentric, and likes to smoke weed. David is a lot more reserved, responsible, and a family man. Benji never hesitates to say exactly what’s on his mind, and this often annoys David, resulting in him constantly apologizing to the rest of the tour group. Despite this, the love between the cousins is endearing.

We follow their adventures on the tour. The film felt like video material from someone who went on one of these tours. Maybe it was the case, and then they built a story around it. I’m just wondering, would I have missed anything had I not seen it? I don’t think so. Did I enjoy it? Well, I guess so, but it’s not really my kind of movie. There’s just nothing here that would make me want to watch it again. No offense.

Having said that, I still credit the movie for being beautifully filmed (on location), and for the good performances. I thought Kieran Culkin in particular was well cast as Benji. I suppose the film will evoke deeper emotions and be more meaningful to a Jewish audience.

‘A Real Pain’ already received 112 award nominations, winning 35 including Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Picture. I’m sure it will receive Oscar nominations as well. At the box office, the film earned $9.4 million on a budget of $3 million.

Would I watch it again? No.