| Take a walk through Poland with cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) as they join a Holocaust tour group. While on the surface it may seem like A Real Pain is a reflection on a tragic past with the cousins and the other Jewish members of the tour group discussing what their ancestors went through as they visit museums, memorials and a concentration camp, it is actually a discussion on mental health in the present day. | | 2024
Directed by: Jesse Eisenberg
Screenplay by: Jesse Eisenberg
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin
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David and Benji are complete opposites (and yes their names and casting match to a T) despite being connected at the hip as they reminisce about their childhood. On the cab ride to the airport, David is calling Benji incessantly with updates on exactly when he’ll get there, he’s worried for good reason that Benji won’t make it on time. Turns out Benji was there many hours early because “the airport opens early and you can just come here and hang out; you won’t believe some of the people you meet in an airport.” He then informs David that he has brought weed for their trip in Poland. That is a perfect opening scene for Benji – a character who initially appears more open than most people would want, but turns out he’s a lot more guarded and lost than expected.
While there are lots of little scenes that are both funny and poignant at the same time – (my personal favourite is Kurt Egyiawan as Eloge a Rwandan-Canadian refugee-immigrant who recently converted to Judaism talking about the religion with Jesse Eisenberg’s David, a person who is obviously Jewish by appearance and by name but realizes that he doesn’t actually practice it) – the actual highlight of the movie is the photography. Shot on location in Poland, the audience is brought along for a breathtaking tour of its history intertwined with present day life.
The movie is expected to be and should be in play for two Oscars: Kieran Culkin for Best Supporting Actor and Jesse Eisenberg for Best Original Screenplay. The script in one climactic scene goes from a discussion on escaping the holocaust, the difficulty of life for new immigrants, but then straight into present day mental health as David’s every day anxieties build until he reveals Benji’s secrets. At that point Kieran Culkin’s Benji snaps into a different focus, summed up by another great moment: The tour guide, James (Will Sharpe) a British expert on Eastern European history who is neither Jewish nor Polish, is given unsolicited advice by Benji to give less facts and allow them more time to reflect on the history. Initially taken aback from Benji’s bluntness, James then says thank you to Benji, “I always tell people to give me advice on ways to improve the tour but you were the first person to actually give me honest and actionable feedback, so thank you, I really appreciate it.” Benji, ebullient as always, says “You’re welcome, man! What did I say?” A small but perfect glimpse at Benji’s broken psyche – which is what A Real Pain is actually about.
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