You’re never quite sure what you’re getting when Kieran Culkin is on screen.
He was the livewire in “Succession.†Now, he’s the hard-to-peg cousin in “A Real Pain.†Both guises are utterly mesmerizing.
Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, the film follows two relatives as they make a pilgrimage to their grandmother’s home in Poland.
Kieran Culkin, left, and Jesse Eisenberg play cousins in "A Real Pain."
Eisenberg’s David, the more practical one, figures they’ll learn more about their ancestors and themselves if they take the trip. Culkin’s Benji hopes it will reinvigorate his cousin’s passion for life.
The two are part of a Holocaust tour that includes a mixed bag of vacationers. They’re just as surprised by Benji’s outbursts as David is. And, as they hit landmarks, he has a reaction that makes them question the cousins’ motives.
People are also reading…
While the film is a sharp view of these kinds of trips, it offers a telling look at relationships – particularly ones that have drifted apart.
Eisenberg and Culkin are well-matched, irking each other just when it looks like they’re about to get along. Late-night talks reveal plenty about their separate pasts. David has a wife and child and enjoys settling down; Benji never wants to grow up. Stories about their grandmother – the one who prompted the trip – reveal just how necessary they are in each other’s lives.
Written, directed, and produced by Jesse Eisenberg, "A Real Pain" follows two cousins (Eisenberg and "Succession" standout Kieran Culkin) who embark on a journey through Poland following the death of their grandmother, a Holocaust survivor.
Director Eisenberg does a great job making the trip informative and, for the cousins, quite telling. He throws them into landmarks (under the guidance of a British tour guide) and lets Benji’s free-thinking inspire other members of the group to reveal their own foibles.
Eisenberg – the actor – builds on the tension that pops up like so many World War II artifacts. He’s just as necessary as Culkin, giving the journey touchstones for the future.
Much like “The Holdovers,†“A Real Pain†finds common ground for people who don’t think there is any. It emerges during quiet moments; it echoes during confrontational ones.
When the two end the trip, “A Real Pain†is a question mark for those of us on the journey. Who deserves the “pain†title and what happens to their friendship after they return home?
Because Culkin is so enigmatic, it’s fascinating to think where this could go.
While Eisenberg is very controlling as a character, he’s quite sprightly as a director, leaning into the irony that pops up on every stop. When the group poses for pictures outside a monument, it’s clear he understands what’s really at the heart of his film.
Nominated for two Academy Awards (for Culkin’s performance and Eisenberg’s screenplay), “A Real Pain†is one of those films that will stand the test of time.
Its intentions may fade, but its impact will endure.
