In the film A Real Pain, two cousins set out on a trip across Poland in memory of their grandmother. In this case, the reminiscence trip is meant for the daughter who died recently and the roots of her family who had to run away because of the Holocuast. The travelers expect to get reconciled partly as Benji and David have been living apart after David married and started heading a family. Worried about their friend and ex-colleague, Benji has recently been meandering through his life for a wilful purpose. The end result is a dark comedy where, in context, the ancestors of Pierce and honors qualities embodied most jovial views, became a easy character with vibrant words, but behind the fun of speaking and picturesque places is an unusual gloom.
A Real Pain is an intimate piece for Eisenberg because he stars, writes, and directs the film. One of the film’s poignant moments is when the characters go to pay their respects at the Majdanek concentration camp in Lublin. Of all the places in this meta-movie where witty characters are surrounded by landscapes and engaged in profound interactions, this is when people stop talking. It is a subdued atmosphere, as the characters (as well as the viewers) are simply made to endure the horrific memories that are present at that location. In his silent reverie, Eissenberg’s expertise of tone brings out the best in him as he says nothing but lets the images narrate the story.
Now, While Eisenberg’s directorial debut, When You Finish Saving the World was captivating albeit a bit disappointing, A Real Pain is a worthy second effort that has improved quite a bit and also promises that Eisenberg’s very much a growing director.
While both Eisenberg and Culkin fit the casting process like mugs to a rack, the most interesting aspect of A Real Pain is the way the actors are allowed to build upon the types of characters they are well known for creating. The reviews for Culkin’s portrayal of Benji are anything but mild since the movie’s premiere in Sundance and why not: it is a fantastic role. Anyone who remembers seeing Culkin in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World knows that Culkin is a shrewd actor who always manages to be captivating, and these last few years have only shone brighter for him after his turn as Roman Roy in the Emmy winning HBO series Succession. With this character, Culkin exudes a very chill and sarcastic demeanor, and that star status is showcased during the role of Benji in remarkably beautiful ways.
One moment Benji is the warmest person you will ever meet at a party and the next moment his entire personality is sad and wants to engage in a fight. He experiences swings of emotions and the mood of the audience in each scene is on a knife’s edge as one awkward moment could turn lovebirds into torrents of arguments. However, as much as he is ready to throw a tantrum, it is evident that the first phase where he’s happy to the point of celebrating is so electrifying that he instantly becomes likable.
The character of Benji is, according to Kieran Culkin’s acting and Eisenberg’s direction, a sensitive man in pain. There is a sincere fondness for this character and thus for millions of walk-arounds. Everyone probably knows the Benji-type person; and the nuance and love for that type of a person makes A Real Pain stand out. Benji could seem to be the perfect role for someone who enjoys over-the-top outbursts that are intended for the camera. To his credit, Culkin’s performance is intelligent and caring and is probably among the best ones of this year.
This nature is perfectly fitted with Eugene’s character when Jesse Eisenberg is playing it. David is very much this type of a character. Jesse Eisenberg is generally soft spoken person, so David’s character seems to be perfectly in-line with how Eisenberg acts the role. Perhaps, it is quite interesting how the movie hints at David being emotionally more open in his childhood and youth only for him to repress that as he aged. The reason for which could be societal pressure to grow up, in stark contrast to Benji who is far more blunt and emotionally immature. The scenario is enhanced when Eisenberg, in the third act of the film, allows David’s repressed feelings to be expressed.
Eisenberg and Culkin are well in tune with their cousin dynamic and sell a sense of shared history that is palpable. They rib and bicker as relatives do, but there is definitely a rift between them, one that has been engraved over time and will probably deepen even more.
In as much Eisenberg and Culkin are the leads in A Real Pain, the supporting cast does not disappoint either. The tour group around David and Benji is made up with charming characters that may look like footnotes on the script but grow with some superb performances. Jennifer Grey has been the delight on screens right from Dirty Dancing to Ferris Buller’s Day Off and her character Marcia is a new divorcee who brings a certain world weariness and yet love in her heart. She gets emotionally attached to Benji, which makes her character all the more intriguing, because it is so far ambiguous.
Actor Kurt Egyiawan probably has the most interesting role in the film as Eloge who is an African immigrant who decided to convert to Judaism as a result of witnessing a genocide. He is among the best of the elements and the actor engages the viewers in all of the scenes he appears in. Will Sharpe the great plays a wonderful role as a tour guide and Liza Sadovy and Daniel Oreskes are also there, as well as Diane and Mark, a couple who have contrasting attitudes towards Benji’s actions and add more northern parts to his character arc.
The name A Real Pain has two meanings. This is an example of how the characters regard Benji (‘a real pain in the ass’) a rather disorganized person with no sense of purpose in life who seems to be both fun and irritating to many including his cousin. But it is actually meant to illustrate how Benji is feeling inside, and it does not mince words doing so. In the course of the movie, Benji never has to be alone, but, as in the beginning and in the end, the first and the last frames are of Benji, sitting alone with his thoughts. With no dialogue and only his gaze, Culkin gives off a sense of despair that emanates from someone who is not meant to be alone.
Even though Benji’s cousin has made several attempts to show her presence, Benji chooses to reject them adding that, in his mind, he will be alone. It casts a somewhat ambiguous and dark picture towards the ending as what is in store for Benji in the future is quite unclear; it might not be too optimistic, and the audience may not get to see Benji again, and even his cousin may never see him. Let’s hope that does not happen however, it is certainly a very haunting end that is in line with the attributes of the film: an uncomfortable feeling of anxiety that has been subduing during the duration of the film which has otherwise been about the reunion of family in an absurd comical road trip.
‘Family members come together to take a vacation’ trope, has been ubiquitous for these smaller filmmaker comedies that Searchlight Pictures or before Fox Searchlight which relied on (You know, Little Miss Sunshine). Although A Real Pain does share the framework of certain moments, it manages to do so in a more wounded and sardonic way so as to be expected. One could not in the least say that A Real Pain is a ‘feel good’ movie, a more apt generalization would be a ‘feel sad comedy’ however. A Real Pain as with Benji, is apparently humorous and has heart that leads one to the fun and yet regretful over the things which cannot be contained. A Real Pain from Searchlight Pictures, will be released on November 1, 2024.
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