Last week, we had We Live in Time, which worked thanks to the electric chemistry between the film’s leads, Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. This week, another film that relies on perfect chemistry between the leads but in very different ways. Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain is a comedy-drama focusing on cousins on a journey that will either bring them closer or pull them apart. Along the way, we are treated to a film that balances laughs and tears in an utterly charming piece.

David is a reserved, sometimes awkward family man who decides to go on a pilgrimage to Poland with his cousin, Benji, to visit the home of their recently departed grandmother. Joining an elite tour which takes on the sights of Warsaw, including a visit to a concentration camp, Benji’s often erratic behaviour makes the tour difficult for David as well as the strangers on the tour.

Jesse Eisenberg’s second film as a director, after the sadly underrated When You Finish Saving The World, is a delightful character study that uses Warsaw as an extra character. This is a film about chalk and cheese, as the cousin are poles apart in design, yet the closeness of their relationship can be seen from the outset. David is one of life’s worriers. As the film opens, we see a montage of his calling Benji and leaving countless messages about arriving at the airport, only to discover that Benji has been there for hours because he loves sitting in airports and watching the people.

It soon becomes clear that Benji is as far opposite David as humanly possible. He is loud, cares little for what he says or does and has a totally relaxed approach to life, never being led by itinerary. He also says things that are embarrassing for David but that he doesn’t understand could be offensive to others. One scene in which Benji tells the tour guide to stop giving constant facts is one of those moments which we sometimes wish we could say but wouldn’t dream of speaking for fear of upsetting the listener.

As the film progresses, we learn that Benji is a man suffering from real pain (as well as being one). The death of his grandmother has hit hard, and this trip will hopefully ease the suffering he feels, as well as understanding the life of a woman he loves. Eisenberg uses the setting brilliantly, capturing the city’s beauty and horror, with the scenes set in a concentration camp hitting hard in a film full of hope and life. It’s the director’s skill that he doesn’t overplay the scenes but allows the audience to experience what his characters are in a film that more laughs than tears. He also superbly uses Chopin’s music, capturing the mood and tones with various excerpts.

This isn’t just about the cousins. On tour, Eisenberg has included some nicely drawn characters, from the African man who escaped from genocide and turned to Judaism to the older woman who takes a shine to Benji, the couple there to understand their past, and the British tour guide who seems the odd one out, having taken the job after finishing University. Eisenberg has given us fully formed characters, whereas others could have made them incidental.

The performances work well, too, from Jennifer Grey (yes, Babe from Dirty Dancing) as Marcia, the older lady on the tour, to Will Sharp as the tour guide. This is, however, a two-hander between Eisenberg as David and Succession star Keiran Culkin as Benji. Jesse Eisenberg has mastered the awkward character brimming with nervous energy to a tee. It is his comfortable space, and it works as a perfect straight man to Culkin’s explosive Benji, who seems to be on the edge throughout. It is an exceptional performance as we watch him like a child on a sugar rush. One moment, bouncing off the walls and being the kind of man you’d love to drink with, to crashing and burning in the worst way. Already a winner of Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes, this could be a massive winner for Culkin.

A Real Pain is a joy. It’s funny, touching, and fascinating. It’s a travelogue with laughs and tears. At 90 minutes, it never outstays its welcome, and when it does end, you wish you could spend more time with these characters. It’s an absolute must-see and proof that Eisenberg is as good at writing and directing as he is at acting. This year’s The Holdovers.

5 out of 5

Director: Jesse Eisenberg

Starring: Keiran Culkin, Jesse Eisenberg, Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, Daniel Oreskes, Lisa Sadovy, Kurt Egyiawan

Written by: Jesse Eisenberg

Running Time: 90 mins

Cert: 15

Release date: 8th January 2025