One might not automatically assume that an odd-couple comedy would be a good vehicle to discuss grief and the various aches of life, but that’s exactly what Jesse Eisenberg delivers with his sophomore feature, A Real Pain. The themes that the film wrestles with are often hard to portray on screen due to their complexity and how differently they manifest in others. In Eisenberg’s hands, however, they are explored naturally and rather succinctly while also containing an unexpected richness that makes the film all the more powerful. There is a sad undercurrent throughout, but the film is very funny, and strikes a great tonal balance that makes it feel so human. It may seem simple on the surface, but A Real Pain ends up revealing itself as a poignant tale of loss, familial tension, and the anguish that we as people feel.
David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) are a pair of mismatched cousins who have reunited for a trip to honor their late grandmother. David is more well-adjusted, quiet and mature, while Benji is more unpredictable, energetic, and unafraid to speak his mind. The two travel to Poland, where their grandmother originally lived and escaped from during the Holocaust. As they learn about the history of where she came from, David and Benji see some of their past issues rise to the surface, creating tension between them. Throughout their journey, they confront these issues and begin to process the distinct pain they both feel.
Before watching this film, I was only really familiar with Jesse Eisenberg as an actor, although I was aware that he had written a few plays and wrote and directed the film When You Finish Saving the World. Despite this knowledge, I had never read nor seen any of those works. With A Real Pain, I was quite taken with how sharp his writing is, and enjoyed a great deal of his direction as well. Much like the character he plays in this film, Eisenberg’s craft isn’t particularly showy, yet it makes a big impact. The script’s dialogue is especially excellent, coming across rather authentically while still having some dramatic heft to it. A sequence where David and Benji are trying to get to a train station after missing their stop is a major highlight, utilizing fast-paced dialogue and editing to create a sense of tension. It heightens the nervous energy of the film nicely, and ends up being one of its funniest moments in the process.
The film has humor in spades, which helps bring some levity to the deeper themes at its core. Considering that the film is largely about loss and existential pain, it helps to have some moments to laugh throughout the film. Eisenberg really threads the needle when it comes to the film’s tone, providing some moments that hit hard, while also featuring some of the biggest laughs I’ve had watching any film this year. I knew the film was going to have a comedic bent going into it, but I was surprised by just how much it made me laugh. It just might be the funniest film of the year, and shows that Eisenberg has some comedic chops as a writer.
The real surprise of the film for me was its thematic richness, as I wasn’t expecting it to go as deep as it does. The fact that this film is ostensibly a 90-minute buddy comedy and managed to hit very close to home really impressed me, and I’m sure others will have a similar reaction. The film touches on a host of themes, and gives the viewer just enough to connect with without feeling too heavy-handed. There is a hint of melodrama in certain scenes, but it somehow avoids feeling overwrought or saccharine. It feels honest, and gets to the heart of the matter when it comes to the relationship between David and Benji, as well as the hurt and sadness they are both going through. There’s plenty to dig into here, mainly with how we all respond to process pain differently, and Eisenberg explores these themes with an insightfulness that gives the film its unexpected depth.
I couldn’t help but think of Wes Anderson’s 2007 film The Darjeeling Limited while watching this, as both are about men with strained familial bonds traveling abroad. Both also have clearly defined POVs, even if Eisenberg’s isn’t as stylized as Anderson’s. But while Eisenberg’s direction is decidedly unfussy, it is clear he has a good eye for film. The editing is exceptionally strong, as the film moves along at a great pace, not letting a single moment feel wasted or unneeded. Not only that, but the way it lingers in certain moments is a nice touch, and allows the viewer to be pulled into the trip along with David and Benji. I also enjoyed Michał Dymek’s cinematography, which is lovely and utilizes movement in engaging ways. I love it when a film can still make a big splash even though it isn’t particularly flashy, and A Real Pain falls into this category brilliantly.
The film’s cast is also fantastic, with a charming group of actors rounding out the tour group that David and Benji are on. Jennifer Grey, Liza Sadovy, Daniel Oreskes, Kurt Egyiawan, and Will Sharpe are all so good here, even if we don’t get as much from them as we do from Eisenberg and Culkin. The ensemble as a whole functions so well together, feeling like the types of people you might encounter in a real life tour group. They all play off each other beautifully, and there are a couple of scenes where they all get the chance to work together nicely. Each actor has such a nice presence in the film, but I wish we could have had a little more time with them.
I can’t complain too much though, because the one-two punch of Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin is just incredible. Most people, like myself will be leaving the film buzzing about Culkin’s performance, as he is an absolute powerhouse. He has such an infectious energy that makes him quite likable, but is so erratic that it makes you worry for him a bit. Not to mention that there is that underlying sadness to him that he plays so well, as he is clearly a broken man, but he downplays his pain almost every step of the way. Culkin captures Benji’s complexities with ease and feels like a real person, giving one of the most fully-formed and powerful performances I’ve seen all year.
As for Eisenberg, his performance is one that has grown with me the more I sit with it. He and Culkin are great foils for each other, with Eisenberg acting as the more internal one of the two. It’s a far quieter performance by comparison, but one that is still quite impressive nonetheless. He taps into that neurotic sensibility many of his characters have, but there is a more reserved quality to the character of David that he plays very well. It is kind of an understated performance, but Eisenberg does have some big moments. He has a monologue rather deep into the film where he talks to the tour group about Benji, and it is one of the more emotionally affecting moments of the whole film. It’s a performance that some might undervalue, but he is putting in some excellent work that strongly connected with me.
A Real Pain is a quick-paced, seemingly straightforward film, but it is actually a rather rich text that shows Jesse Eisenberg is as talented behind the camera as he is in front of it. It can easily be read as a simple buddy comedy, but it is also a thoughtful exercise in the ways humans deal with the pains of life and how it affects their relationships with others. This film might mainly get attention for Kieran Culkin’s performance, but that is just one of many great things the film has to offer. This is a film that may vary for some, much like how life’s slings and arrows affect everyone in different ways, but it hit me pretty hard. It is a highly impressive effort from Eisenberg, and makes for a funny, tender, and occasionally awkward journey that is well worth taking.
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