By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
A World War II concentration camp tour through Poland may not seem like much of an uplifting filmgoing experience, but wonderful performances, especially from Kieran Culkin, provide some entertaining comedy on an otherwise dramatic journey. “A Real Pain” is a dramedy written, directed, and starred in by Jesse Eisenberg, and is a poignant tale of family and remembrance.
Once inseparable, cousins Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David Kaplan (Jesse Eisenberg) have since drifted apart living out their own lives. When their mutually beloved grandmother passes away, the two reconnect to celebrate her memory by visiting her homeland in Poland to better understand her upbringing and tribulations. They join a concentration camp tour, traveling from Warsaw to Lublin, with others wanting to experience the sad memories and heroic tales of resilience of their Jewish heritage.
The cousins realize they’ve grown very different from each other. David has a fulfilling life with a wife, child, and a rewarding career. He is a consummate rule follower with a very introverted personality, keeping to a schedule while avoiding socially awkward situations. Benji, on the other hand, is the polar opposite as an extreme extrovert who lives in the moment and treats rules as mere suggestions. As their personalities clash on this tour, the trip becomes a self-reflective one as they remember the love they have for each other.
This is Jesse Eisenberg’s sophomore film as a writer/director and is a far superior effort from his first in 2022, “When You Finish Saving the World.” He fashions “A Real Pain” as a buddy comedy but with dramatic depth and a personal passion that gives this film a meaningful edge. The dialogue and storyline are very well written by Jesse at an Oscar caliber level, and he keeps all of the scenes condensed with purpose that give the film a nice flow and pacing. He invokes a wide range of emotions from awkward embarrassment to joyous laughter to anger to heart wrenching sadness that doesn’t allow for a moment of dullness during the short 90-minute runtime.
Eisenberg is clearly committed to authenticity, filming on location in Poland and incorporating actual WWII memorials. In fact, this is the first time a movie such as this has been allowed to film at an actual concentration camp. This was very important to Jesse in order to capture the true feeling and essence of what the characters were experiencing. Coupled with his use of famed Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin for the score of the film, not to mention his attention to small details like having the characters eating a soup called zurek, which is a unique Polish dish, Jesse succeeds in making the audience feel they are with them on their journey through Poland.
Having two capable talents like Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin deliver these well-written lines is what takes the film to the next level. Jesse writes the dialogue in a way that plays to their strengths as actors. Having to wear multiple hats on set, Eisenberg understandably plays it safe with his performance, using his succinct, conservative, and analytical approach for which he is well known over his career. While his performance may not warrant an Oscar nomination, he does supply a minor emotional breakdown towards the end of the film that moves viewers to tears.
Emmy winner Kieran Culkin (“Succession”) has a performance to remember that could earn him his first Oscar nomination. He lights up the screen with his charismatic personality that sets up comical situations, but balances that with surprising emotional depth, credibly showing his character’s flawed mental state bordering on a bi-polar diagnosis with a side of manic depression. Culkin rides a rollercoaster of highs and lows with his influential character that gives him this aura of unpredictability. He singlehandedly makes this film worth watching.
It would not be surprising for this production to earn one of the ten nominations for Best Picture of the year, but it is not quite compelling enough to be a real contender for the win. “A Real Pain” is a real joy to experience in the theater. It will make you laugh, it will make you sad, it will make you think, and it will make you appreciate your family.
This movie earns:
