A Real Pain follows two mismatched cousins, Benji and David, as they embark upon a Holocaust tour of Poland to honour their late grandmother.
Prompted by a pop-up ad offering “Auschwitz tours, with lunch,” writer/director/actor Jesse Eisenberg draws from the experience of trying to reconcile his ancestors’ suffering with his own, questioning the nature of “tragedy tourism” and an intergenerational connection with trauma.
This forms the backdrop for the dysfunctional dynamic between the cousins, whose close relationship has faded into their adulthood. Notably, Kieran Culkin’s portrayal of Benji balances wit and energy (à la Succession) with a remarkable vulnerability which demands contemplation of the film’s sensitivities — a singular performance worthy of its widespread critical acclaim. Eisenberg is deeply moving as David, whose stirring monologue is a standout in demonstrating the nuances of what real pain might look like.
The film is often beautiful, but equally quick to remind us that beneath the comedic elements of a “buddy film” remains a solemnity in confronting trauma (both individual and collective), right to its bittersweet end. I’d like to think this echoes the resilience we see in Benji’s emotional vulnerability. A Real Pain is charming, thought-provoking, and driven home by a pair of magnetic lead performances — and if that can’t convince you, the 90-minute runtime might.
“Jesse Eisenberg” by WEBN-TV is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.