A Real Pain (2024)

Clever, Witty, Exceptional Comedy/Drama - A Real Pain review by GI

A witty, humour filled and yet serious drama from writer, director and star Jesse Eisenberg that is clever, moving and a real treat. Basically a road movie that hovers between the trivialities of modern day problems and the horrors of history in this case the Holocaust. This is the story of two American cousins, the introverted David (Eisenberg) and the free spirited Benji (Kieran Culkin) who were very close as children but have since grown apart. David has a secure job and a family whereas Benji has a more laid back life still living in his parents basement. They have reunited on a tour to Poland basically to honour their recently deceased grandmother who was a Holocaust survivor and to find her childhood home. The tour is an organised one with a small group of tourists, led by a tour guide (Will Sharpe), who David hesitatingly tries to be a part but Benji embraces with full on intensity of personality in a tour de force of uncontrollable personality flitting between mood swings of emotional bonding to sharp anger. The narrative cleverly explores the real issues that lay deep within these two especially Benji who harbours demons that gradually reveal themselves. It's not explicit but Benji certainly has serious anxiety as he borders on alienating his fellow travellers but seems to unite them too whilst David cringes in horror at his mood swings. This character driven part of the story is intertwined with the experience of the Holocaust tour and highlights the American experience of trying to come to terms with the horrors that a previous generation preferred to keep silent about. The script is a masterclass of understatement and yet is has a strong message that resonates throughout the entire film. Culkin gets the funny lines and he dominates the film but rightly so as this is about his journey. His child like reactions and switch to fierce anger is a cleverly written and performed character. There's a lot to enjoy in this film, it's sort of arrived without fanfare but it deserves to be recognised for the sheer cleverness in its easy nature and moving story. The ending is a tear inducing one.