Review: A Real Pain
The Next Directorial Feature From Jesse Eisenberg
INTRODUCTION
This is a quick review of the newly released film A Real Pain. Keep in mind this is but one of the many movies I watch every year, and that whatever initial grade I come up for this film could change for better or worse with time. To better keep up to date with both my thoughts on other movies and if my feelings on this film changed, follow me on Letterboxd.
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THE PLOT
Via Letterboxd: Mismatched cousins David and Benji reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the pair’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
QUICK REVIEW
The last time Jesse Eisenberg stepped into the director’s chair with 2022’s When You Finish Saving the World, it didn’t exactly wow critics - presented company included. I gave it a lowly grade of C-. So imagine my surprise when word from Sundance suggested his latest film, A Real Pain, was actually good!
This time, Eisenberg stars as the lead, with Kieran Culkin as his more eccentric and outspoken cousin. Their on-screen chemistry is fantastic. Eisenberg plays the straight man, constantly reacting to Culkin’s awkward, unpredictable moments, and each reaction feels authentic and relatable. I could easily put myself in their shoes, which added to the immersion.
The film’s dark humor is subtle. I didn’t laugh out loud often, but that’s not a bad thing. The humor landed more as a “that’s funny” rather than provoking big physical laughs, which works for the film’s tone. I’d note, though, that some viewers might find the comedy a bit too understated for their tastes.
A Real Pain also tackles heavy, serious themes of communal grief. The plot follows the cousins on a tour through Poland, exploring their Jewish heritage and confronting painful Holocaust history. The journey culminates in a visit to a concentration camp, handled with a respectful gravity that silences the audience in the middle of all the laughs that came before and after the powerful scene.
The film is refreshingly short, clocking in at just ninety minutes. It gets to the point without overstaying its welcome.
If I had to nitpick, I’d say that a few comedic scenes leaned too much into awkwardness and could have been trimmed down. Also, some character depths were hinted at, but not fully explored beyond certain revelations.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed A Real Pain as a major step forward for Eisenberg as a director and storyteller. While I didn’t love it to the level that some others did, I found myself entertained. The film balanced laughs and emotional impact, and I genuinely wanted to see these cousins’ journey through to the end. It held my attention throughout, earning A Real Pain a solid B+ in my book.
INITIAL GRADING
