With it being December this is when all the critics and groups start to announce their picks for best films of the year. This year has been a bit of a lackluster year in my opinion, but there have been a few gems that have managed to surprise me. A Real Pain, the directorial and writing debut for Jesse Eisenberg, is one of those few gems that crackles with great dialog and impressive cinematography, but most importantly is anchored by the performances of its two leads, played by Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin. On a surface level, this is a story about two cousins going on vacation together, but really it’s about two young men struggling with their own pain. You’d think a film like this would be a drag or even a chore to sit through, but instead it is engaging and heartfelt throughout and has moments that will have you laughing and crying.
After the passing of their grandmother, Benji (Culkin) and David (Eisenberg) are cousins who decide to take a trip to Poland not just to reconnect, but to see their grandmother’s homeland and get a glimpse into what her life was like during the Holocaust. Right from the get-go we see that Benji and David are a bit of an odd couple, Benji is prone to emotional outbursts and a bit of a free spirit, while David is more timid and serious. As for the tour the boys have signed up for, it’s with a group of four other travelers who have made the pilgrimage, each with their own personal reasons. What I wasn’t expecting is how the other travelers integrate into the story and are more than just background characters, but are there for the journey and help the cousins in their own way.
I feel that what most will leave the movie with is the performance Kieran Culkin delivers.
Sure, we know he was good in Succession, but what he shows us in his role as Benji is something more emotionally complex. Whether it is the silent moments where he’s smoking a joint or just sitting on a train, we can see so much is going on with this character that we can see his struggle with dealing with the loss of his grandmother who he considered his best friend. So when we see his outbursts of emotion, we know this is an eruption of pain that’s been brewing for some time. This might be the most relatable performance of the year for me, or at least anyone who has experienced loss and had difficulty through the grieving process, it felt so genuine, and it was more than just reading from the script. As for Eisenberg, he plays towards his strengths. We can see him constantly quietly trying to figure out how to fix his cousin while at the same time wishing he could be just as bold as him. The pair have such great chemistry together that I could believe they’ve had this somewhat brotherly bond for years.
As for the direction of the film, this easily could have been a bland talking-heads film, but it seems Eisenberg picked up a lot from all the great directors he’s worked with over the years. He makes this tour through Poland a beautiful one. Some of the tracking shots are just beautifully framed with the villages and landscape in the background and show us that a place widely known for its tragedy is still something vibrant and beautiful. Then when the film takes us to the concentration camp, the film isn’t about the dialog, but instead focuses on how the experience impacts each of the travelers with simple and haunting images. I wasn’t ready for how impactful this moment actually turned out for me as a viewer, but it was the moment I felt it went from being a good movie to something bordering on great.
This is a film I feel many people will connect with and embrace because of just how relatable it is. This film reflects that experience of drifting apart from either a loved one or a best friend and attempting to reconnect with them. This is a small film that isn’t trying to preach a political message but is simply about the relationships that matter in our lives. Even as I write this, I’m realizing just how much I really love this film. For a first time feature, Jesse Eisenberg really knocked this one out of the park, and I hope he continues to pursue working on films behind the camera.
