A Real Pain | Film Review

 

Cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) tour Poland in honour of their grandmother, but as they explore their family history, they are forced to confront their complicated relationship.

This was one of the films of Oscar season that I was most looking forward to seeing. I really liked the premise and had heard really good things.

I really liked this movie.

For a start, it was clear from the first 15 minutes why this film has been nominated for a screenplay Oscar. The film is written so well, captures and evokes so many complex emotions and really makes the audience pay attention to the characters.

Speaking of which, I loved both of the characters almost instantly. They're so different, and their interactions are what the film is pretty much centred on, and why it works so well.

The balance of comedy/humour and drama is done really well, which is down to the writing, direction and acting. I didn't know until the credits rolled that Eisenberg wrote and directed this but he did an amazing job with it.

Eisenberg and Culkin work so well together, and the characters' relationship feels authentic. They're genuinely so interesting to watch.

And because of their chemistry, their performances are great. I'm glad Culkin is winning awards but Eisenberg's performance shouldn't be overlooked. It may not be as overt as Culkin's but he has some beautiful scenes.

The score is something I haven't really heard people talking about but it's stunning, as is the use of sound and silence. It's clear that every sound was meticulously planned out and it pays off because these moments are really effective.

Overall, this is a really beautiful story. It's rightfully receiving awards and I hope it walks away with at least one Oscar because it absolutely deserves it.

8/10