A Real Pain is exactly that

?A tale of two cousins: A Real Pain recently hit the screens with an exploration of grief, family, cultural identity and the repercussions of history. The film marks Jesse Eisenberg’s sophomore directing role in a movie in which he also plays one of the two main roles.

The dynamic between two cousins is at the heart of the story: While David (Jesse Eisenberg) embodies a serious, tightly-wound persona — a character who is successful in his personal and professional life but emotionally repressed — Benji (Kieran Culkin) plays the aimless and unfiltered cousin in touch with his emotional self. The love-hate dynamic between the two is at the center of the movie.

The movie begins with the cousins learning of their grandmother’s passing — which pushes them to plan a trip to visit her homeland of Poland, where Jewish people have endured years of persecution. Our main characters are grieving the loss of a loved one, yet this emotion is mounted by unresolved generational trauma that is soon awakened. While Benji seems to be more impacted than David, we’re left to explore the different ways in which each character deals with this awakened pain.

A story of identity and self-exploration: Throughout the trip, each cousin explores himself through the interlinkage between their past and present. Their relationship — which they discover has largely changed since they were little kids — is dominated by feelings of anger and jealousy, which they work through allowing them to heal.

The movie is a raw and honest portrayal of grief and pain, and the many ways in which they can be experienced. However, the constant shift between witty humour and moments of deep sorrow at times felt a little poorly executed, leaving us confused. A Real Pain is a touching, relevant portrayal of what it means to carry the weight of past, present, and future generations.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can stream A Real Pain on Disney Plus. You can also watch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 1:02).