JEANNE’S REVIEW
It sounds like the beginning of a Jewish joke --- two Jewish cousins travel to Poland to find their grandmother’s ancestral home. What could possibly go wrong? But it’s not a joke --- though there are a few truly amusing moments --- it’s writer/director/star Jesse Eisenberg’s new film, A REAL PAIN.
Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin play David and Benji Kaplan --- yes, my illustrious husband got a kick out of that --- who embark on this journey funded by their beloved grandmother who recently passed away. David, married with a young son, is the nervous, shy and responsible cousin, while Benji is the free-spirited one who smokes weed a lot and still lives in his mother’s basement.
Upon arrival in Krakow, Poland, David and Benji meet their guide, James (Will Sharpe), and the rest of the small group they’ll be touring with. Marcia (Jennifer Grey) is recently single, Diane (Liza Sadovy) and Mark (Daniel Oreskes) are a retired married couple and Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan) is a devout convert to Judaism.
All seems well, that is until Benji’s volatility surfaces. It’s obvious these two cousins love each other. Their fathers were brothers, and they were very much like brothers themselves growing up. But David has a new life with a beautiful wife named Priya (Ellora Torchia) and a darling son, so he doesn’t have as much time to spend with Benji, who clearly has issues. And those issues come glaringly into focus on this trip.
Eisenberg has penned a wonderful screenplay filled with a lot of humor, pathos and a good share of angst. James’ tour includes a visit to a concentration camp in Poland, as well as one of the Jewish ghettos and gravesites of historical significance. So not only does this small band of Jews, most of whom had relatives who were in the camps, have to deal with the emotions of pain, sadness and guilt, they also have to contend with Benji’s occasional outbursts.
And Culkin is utterly spellbinding committing those outbursts --- along with his sequences of profound melancholy and self-loathing. He renders a remarkable performance in its breadth of emotions. He and Eisenberg make a great team --- their own version of the “Odd Couple”.
Eisenberg proves he is as capable behind the camera as he is in front of one. His David is riddled with mixed feelings of love, hatred and guilt toward Benji, but ultimately it is his love that wins.
The ensemble cast is marvelous. James takes a beating from Benji --- metaphorically --- but Sharpe never allows his character to come unglued. It’s a beautifully subtle portrayal. Grey is terrific as Marcia, who seems to understand Benji’s constant need for attention. And Egyiawan adds a much-needed measure of calm to the group.
Moved along by the most popular works from Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, A REAL PAIN is a fine accomplishment for Eisenberg. And films like his are an important reminder that past tragedies must never be forgotten.
Opinion: See It Now!
DAVID’S REVIEW
David: Contrary to what you may think, A REAL PAIN is not actually a
screenplay written by Jeanne about me. It’s a new slice-of-life film starring two of the more compelling and talented young actors of their generation.
It stars Jesse Eisenberg (who also writes and directs) and Kieran Culkin (fans of TV’s “Succession” know him well) as cousins on a road trip to Poland to visit their deceased grandmother’s childhood home and pay homage to her. The film’s location is personal to Eisenberg because it’s where his real-life relatives settled in diaspora. That’s the term given to people who spread their culture in parts of the globe away from their homeland.
Grandma was a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp, and Benji (Culkin) was especially close to her. Culkin’s character is not that distant from the role he played on “Succession”. Like his character Roman, Benji is equally funny, irritating and a bit irrational --- but somehow you hang on his every word. Meanwhile, Eisenberg’s character David is the voice of reason, although he has one explosive scene where he loses it, if only temporarily.
On the tour in Poland, led by their guide James (Will Sharpe), Benji may rub people the wrong way, but ultimately, they all seem to like him, or at least they respond to him. David, meanwhile, is a bit embarrassed by his cousin’s behavior, even apologizing profusely to the small group. And speaking of the small group, Marcia is played by Jennifer Grey of DIRTY DANCING fame.
A REAL PAIN deserves your attention because the two leads render natural performances that are completely plausible. And at an hour and a half, the film does not overstay its welcome.
One more note: the full name of Eisenberg’s character is --- David Kaplan, which happens to be a very common Jewish name. I should know.
Opinion: See It Now!