A comedy with two quirky, diametrically opposed middle-aged men. It’s a well-worn narrative, but I don’t think many wears it quite as well as Jesse Eisenberg, director of the alarmingly charming and heartbreaking film, “A Real Pain.”
The movie follows two cousins, played by Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin, who could not be in more different places in their lives. Eisenberg’s character is an anxiety-ridden, introverted shell of a man blinded by the banality of existence to remember his exists now. Culkin can only remember his and the significance of every moment, navigating a life of freedom and silliness, any stranger being the next victim to his lively conversation. These clashing spirits attempt to co-exist peacefully as they traverse on a “heritage tour” through Germany to understand the horrors of their Jewish ancestors’ past. Now you may be thinking, how can a movie with characters walking though concentration camps be in any way humorous? I myself thought this, but I can safely say I laughed more than cried in this movie.
“Understanding suffering” is an appropriate tagline for this movie; one that you would think only applies to the tragedies experienced during the Holocaust, but actually takes an extremely personal turn to the protagonists. The clashing dynamic between the characters unravels into a much deeper hatred than you would’ve expected from the beginning of the movie, while still erupting with warmth and love.
This movie felt at times extremely intrusive of the director’s mind, it was that intimate. I walked out of the theater as if I had just gone on a blind date with someone who only talked about themselves the entire time, but I enjoyed it? This feeling, this exclusive connection with Eisenberg, is a bond that can only be created by an exceptionally talented director—which Eisenberg most certainly is.
I cannot recall the last time I have shamelessly cackled at a movie as recklessly as I did in this one, which I can proudly thank Culkin for. This man is an absolute comedic gem to watch, and exquisite emotional artist. Any time he left the screen I was counting the seconds until his return. I had known Culkin from a similarly hilarious character he portrayed in the TV show “Succession”, where he achieved the same goal of laughter for the majority of his screen-time. His character was that one kid we all knew growing up who would just say anything to anyone at any time with no warning, yet everyone loves him. This playfulness was carefully juxtaposed with sentimental bombs that left everyone in the room stunned.
Going to a movie with a participating audience is always fun, but when you get a movie that forces everyone to engage, you’ve done something great. The people in the theater I was in progressively got louder throughout the movie, a testament to how enjoyable it is to be able to watch this movie, which I believe is majorly due to the genius screenplay. Some scenes had so many funny lines, it was difficult to hear the characters talking over people’s laughter. It says everything it wants to in a skillfully modest way, while giving room for the viewers to think and interpret as they please.
After seeing this film, I cannot wait for what the brain of Eisenberg produces next. This is only his second feature film, which only excites me more to think what he’s capable of. “A Real Pain” is a movie I think everyone needs to see now, and then rewatch the next week after that. It is a beautiful telling of the confusing envy and love of past relationships that will always be a part of us, despite how hard we may try to separate from them- something we can all relate to.
