A Real Pain - A Movie Review

All journeys have pain.

A Real Pain traveled into theaters in 2024. Two mismatched cousins, David and Benji, reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their late grandmother. During the adventure, tensions arise between the two as they confront past family drama.

I have never felt emotion pour out of a film like A Real Pain. Since reading about it at Sundance, I’ve wanted to see this movie. A Real Pain authentically portrays hidden turmoils and relationships. Nobody ever knows the battles people face.

Jessie Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin play cousins David and Benji. We immediately get their characters: one is loud and eccentric, while the other is reserved. They played well off each other, examining hidden battles and love for one another. Cousin relationships are so important and they’re not represented enough in media.

Home Alone fans remember Kieran Culkin, who played Fuller, Kevin McCallister’s big-glasses Pepsi-drinking cousin. For his role as Benji, Culkin soaked himself in this complicated headspace. Benji’s energy is vibrant, bounding off conversations and being the funny one. A deep sadness consumes this character, and his mood rapidly changes.

Eisenberg has played many silent exterior characters, holding things inside. I thought David was the usual organized and responsible person who keeps track of everything, but that changes in this riveting confession sequence. He explains how keeping track of Benji has overwhelmed him, making it tough to focus on his life. It was the best-acted moment.

Tour groups make for interesting character studies. Credits include Will Sharpe, Daniel Oreskes, Liza Sadovy, Kurt Egyiawan, and Dirty Dancing actress Jennifer Grey. Each actor creates an interesting character and fuels the dynamic between the group. The audience laughed at one group member’s dry humor.

A Real Pain is Jessie Eisenberg’s second film as director and writer. He was drawn to making this film wanting to learn more about his Jewish heritage and honor his late grandmother. The movie is autobiographical in a way, as Eisenberg took a similar trip to Poland for research in 2008. He filmed certain scenes inside his family’s home in Poland.

Eisenberg’s cinematography choices are impressive. He has grown more in his aesthetic. Each shot reflects a deeply passionate resonance of the story’s raw themes. His main goal was to keep audiences included in the story. Mental health is an important topic and something audiences can relate to.

Pack your bags because viewers are taken on an adventure. I always liked travel films. A Real Pain was mostly shot in Poland, specifically in Ludlin and Krasnystaw. For anyone who has never been to Poland (me included), it was like sightseeing. We see several significant statues, museums, and old historical neighborhoods.

A Real Pain is the first feature to be shot in a concentration camp, filmed in the Majdanek concentration camp. This historic location set the story lightbulb off in Eisenberg’s head.

Throughout the film, audiences laughed or responded in some scenes, but I have never felt quiet like this. It’s a loud quiet. A quiet that hits you with every real truth that exists. Shots of hundreds of ownerless shoes and crematories only last a few seconds but it's enough to cut your heart.

The main theme is hidden pains. We’re all fighting a hidden battle. The film has an ambiguous ending, though stories don’t have to have a complete conclusion.

This movie is remarkable. It’s funny and occupies heavy themes about mental health, relationships, and past events. A theater setting makes an impactful difference. A Real Pain deserves recognition during the upcoming awards season.