Mismatched cousins reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Chuck says:
There’s a great deal of heart in Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain,” a look at generational and individual grief that benefits from the fine work of its two leads. A somewhat insightful examination of trauma, the writer/director has the best of intentions, but he manages to only scratch the surface regarding the background of the troubled soul at the center of his film, an oversight that leaves it feeling incomplete.
With the passing their grandmother, cousins David and Benji (Kieran Culkin and Eisenberg) have gotten together for a solemn occasion. The Holocaust survivor left them money to take a trip back to her home in Poland, a journey they are eager to undertake. Once close, the two have drifted apart, their separate lives taking them down different paths.
David has a wife and young child and has a fairly good job selling banner ads for internet sites. Uptight and reserved, he is a constant worrier, incapable of letting go and living life with any sense of joy. Benji is his opposite, a bit aimless, drifting about without a plan. He’s gregarious, flirtatious and has no filter in social situations. He can be the life of the party but at times a bit of a bore you’d be better off avoiding.
As they get to know each other again, familiar topics are touched upon, as they reminisce about all times. There’s a sense they’re dancing around a touchy subject, which they are able to forestall once they join their small tour group. All have their reasons for wanting to tour the concentration camp and cities in the area. Mark and Diane (Daniel Oreskes and Liza Sadovy) are retirees who are also curious about the homeland of their ancestors while Marcia (Jennifer Grey) is recently divorced and seeking some sense of purpose. Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan) a survivor of the Rwandan genocide and their British tour guide James (Will Sharpe) round out the group.
Eisenberg wisely doesn’t focus on simply the dour aspects of the region they examine, taking time to celebrate the long history of these cities and the resilience of those who lived there. The reverence paid to them is welcomed, while the scenes that take place within the concentration camp are obviously, quite powerful. Yet the director, wisely, uses a deft touch in these moments. A swelling score is absent as are any unnecessary camera moves or shots that would call attention to themselves. Eisenberg knows the gravity of the environment speaks for itself and lets it do so.
Equally effective is his use of the other characters, each of their perspectives on the Holocaust and its aftermath allowing Eisenberg to touch upon various aspects of this complex issue. While their responses at times may differ, none are invalidated, each respected and taken in to form a meaningful mosaic of viewpoints.
Culkin is the hub around which the story revolves and he’s more than up to the task of bringing Benji to life in all of his troubled, charming, irritating glory. Needing to be the focal point of every situation, the actor never forgets to display a bit of sadness in each moment. Eisenberg serves as a good counterpoint but he’s not doing anything we haven’t seen before.
Eventually, old grievances are aired between David and Benji and it proves to be a bit anticlimactic. The feelings they carry regarding their grandmother’s experience is valid but just what is troubling Benji, remains frustratingly vague. Past acts are referenced to, but few specifics are provided, leaving him, ultimately, hard to empathize with. While the final shot of the film, a slow dolly in on Benji, is haunting, it also underscores the film’s one, but glaring flaw. While his pain is obvious, its source remains a mystery, keeping the viewer at arm’s length, a connection to him difficult to make.
3 Stars
