A Real Pain
A Real Pain
"A Real Pain" follows mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) as they reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, but their adventure takes a dark turn when the odd couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
vangh1 reviewedJanuary 13, 2025
I don't think I've ever seen a title, much less a 3 word title, do so much heavy lifting. How David feels about his cousin, how they view what their grandma went through compared to what they face, and what each individual on the tour is feeling even if they don't recognize it as real in light of what they're seeing on the tour.
Both Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin absolutely slay in their completely different roles. Both the subtle moments and the big ones are landed perfectly in each case.
I love the idea that David will forever have an inconspicuous rock on his door step, not likely to be noticed or considered by anyone, and yet it will hold great meaning for him each day he passes it by. I like the idea of a small, hidden in plain sight memento from a profound trip.
These are absolutely my favorite kinds of movies: Just spending a little bit of time with some human beings, learning a bit about the human condition.