While Sundance 2024 was a bit of a sleepy affair, one of the bigger hits of the festival, quickly acquired by Searchlight Pictures, was “A Real Pain,” the latest directorial effort of actor/filmmaker Jesse Eisenberg. Written by Eisenberg and co-starring himself and “Succession” star Kieran Culkin, the comedic drama centers on a pair of incompatible cousins, one bright and successful (Eisenberg), the other lost and floundering (Culkin), who make a trek to Poland to see the ancestral home of their beloved grandmother and honor her memory.
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But things aren’t so simple, and what should be a simple walking tour through parts of an idyllic country gets complicated and emotional because of the friction between the two family members, one organized and wanting to keep to the itinerary, the other unpredictable and sometimes even volatile. Old family wounds and some painful history surface, too, and “A Real Pain” grows more dramatically around the odd-couple comedy.
In addition to Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin, the film also co-stars Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes.
“A Real Pain” is Jesse Eisenberg’s sophomore writing and directing effort, following 2022’s “When You Finish Saving The World,” which was also a hit at Sundance that year.
Here’s the official synopsis:
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Mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd couple’s tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
“A Real Pain” was produced by Dave McCary, Ali Herting, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Jennifer Semler, and Ewa Puszczynska. Searchlight Pictures will release the film in limited release starting November 1 and then roll it out nationally soon after. Watch the new trailer below.