Sunday, 13 April 2025

VOD: A Real Pain (dir: Jesse Eisenberg, 2024)

"I'm so f**king happy to be here with you right now!"

Following the death of their beloved grandmother, a trip to Poland by two estranged cousins to explore their family's history forms the basis of this buddy comedy/drama story, written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg.  As the two cousins, the loquacious and carefree Benji (Kieran Culkin) and the more pragmatic young father Dave (Eisenberg) are a great pairing, the whip-smart rapid-fire dialogue crackling back and forth very engagingly, all couched within an interesting and diverse group of characters with whom they share an organised tour that sees them confronted with their Jewish heritage and their own demons, including a devastatingly sombre visit to a former concentration camp.  The shooting of architecture and landmarks adds visual interest, together with the juxtaposition of old and new, with a classical piano soundtrack of mostly Chopin that adds a suitably melancholic and reflective air.  Driven by great writing, the fantastic relationship and characters created by the two leads and the strong supporting cast provides many heartfelt moments that make A Real Pain a blissfully enjoyable movie.
 

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