When actors make the transition to filmmaking, it’s almost always interesting to see what they have in store. Great examples include Ben Affleck for “Argo” and “Air,” John Krasinski for “A Quiet Place 1 and 2,” Zoe Kravitz for “Blink Twice,” Dev Patel for “Monkey Man” and anything Clint Eastwood has done. In the case of “A Real Pain” from Jesse Eisenberg (“When You Finish Saving the World”) I had the incredible opportunity to see “A Real Pain” in October for the 62nd New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall with hundreds of people. After the film, Eisenberg appeared virtually with Kieran Culkin, Jennifer Grey and Ali Herting in person for a Q&A. I’m happy to say that Eisenberg wrote, directed, co-produced and starred in one of 2024’s real pleasures.

“A Real Pain” stars Eisenberg and Culkin (“Home Alone 1 and 2” and “Succession”) as distant cousins who travel to Poland to honor their deceased grandmother while complications about their family history ensue during their trip.

Everything that has been said following the film’s premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year is true. Eisenberg commands the screen in front and behind the camera not only with his direction deftly balancing lighthearted comedy and emotional drama which is very difficult to do as well as giving a really good performance as David. 

But the biggest standout in this entire film is Kieran Culkin as Benji, which was shocking because I couldn’t get into Culkin’s performance at first. He came off as obnoxious and quite literally a real pain. He was like an immature brother wanting attention just for the sake of it. Everything changed when Eisenberg gives a poignant monologue at a dinner table later in the film about him. It was at that moment when Benji became so much more than just an annoying cousin. He’s a complex person struggling with mental health issues using his easy going free spiritedness to bury his inner turmoil.

As I mentioned above, the film balances comedy and drama, which is hard to do not only for a writer-director-star, but also because it deals with serious themes like mental illness and generational trauma. It doesn’t shy away from some of the more mature moments particularly a scene involving a visit to a concentration camp. While the themes are mature, it has some lighthearted moments involving David and Benji, who really felt like cousins through their dialogue, mannerisms, flaws and body language.

“A Real Pain” wasn’t perfect by any means but it was a heartfelt, deeply moving film that can make you laugh and punch you hard in the gut when it’s least expected. The film goes into wide release on November 15 and I highly recommend you check out one of 2024’s real gems. Overall it’s a B+ for “A Real Pain.”