‘A Real Pain’ Treats Difficult Topic With Sensitivity — And Humor

I am Jewish, but primarily through my ancestry. I celebrate Hanukkah and Passover, but not religiously. Still (and especially since our heritage is important to my mother and my brother), I’m proud of my lineage when I see our culture celebrate Judaism without playing into ethnic stereotypes or using religious beliefs as a punchline. While it may seem obvious in the 21st century, we see it less in mainstream pop culture than you might think.

Hot off his directorial debut “When You Finish Saving the World” (a moderately well-received festival hit), Jesse Eisenberg has returned with his second feature film, “A Real Pain,” which is all about culture. To be more specific, it’s a testament to cultural hurt and generational pain which, when put into the context of Jewish history, comes with a lot of baggage, even if you only take into account the hardships of the Jewish people in the 20th century.

But “A Real Pain” approaches the subject with consideration, care, and most importantly humor — this should be the poster child for how to approach historical trauma with sensitivity and tact while maintaining a levity that is necessary to escape the ever-present pull of nihilism.

Eisenberg co-stars as tightly wound advertising manager David Kaplan alongside Kieran Culkin (fresh off of HBO’s “Succession”) as his cousin Benji, a wayward transient who copes with his inward pain through snark and humor. Together, the cousins attempt to rekindle their formerly close relationship as they embark on a tour through Poland to honor their recently departed grandmother, a survivor of the Holocaust.

Based on the premise, it might surprise you to hear that “A Real Pain” consistently had my theater audience in hysterics. Eisenberg’s script is whip-smart and incredibly poignant, and when you put that in the hands of a talented cast (which, alongside Eisenberg and Culkin, includes Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, and Broadway actor Daniel Oreskes, among others) it has the potential to make magic. The humor is both situational and based in dialogue and delivery and harnesses the awkwardness of reality to its advantage. Real life is weird and cringey, and this movie takes its place among the best comedies of the year by not only recognizing that, but embracing it.

It’s not all laughs; “A Real Pain” is an incredibly respectful film, with clear reverence and regard for the Jewish faith. Eisenberg starring in addition to working behind the camera (which he did not do for his debut) means something here; he’s putting himself out there and working through the same cathartic experience we are, and it pays off — it’s the best he’s been in a movie in years. The same goes for Kieran Culkin. After “Succession,” it’s hard to see him in any Roman Roy-lite role, but like fellow series alum Jeremy Strong (who delivered a different, if equally powerful performance in “The Apprentice”), Culkin’s energy resonates off the screen and right into our hearts. He takes a character that, in the hands of a lesser performer, could be overly irreverent and intolerable and makes him assertively sympathetic. I didn’t cry in the theater, but I almost did on my drive home, thinking about Benji’s final scene.

“A Real Pain” feels like a personally tailored experience. It’s driven by a subtle piano score comprised almost entirely of Chopin compositions and speaks very nicely to the strength of empathy. If you lose touch with the people you love, take responsibility for it. Make an effort. Don’t settle for less. And, most importantly of all, remember who you are.

Read movie and TV reviews and more by Rowan Wood at knockonwoodfilm.com.