A Real Pain is the story of two American Jewish cousins with opposite personalities on a Nazi Holocaust tour in Poland. The film is just 90 minutes long and packs in a lot. It starts on a funny note but then the emotional and confrontational moments take over. The characters are also well-fleshed out. The major issue with the film is the pre-climax and climax. It is underwhelming and leaves a lot to be desired. Jesse Eisenberg is impressive not just as a director but also as an actor. Kieran Culkin, however, steals the show and is sure to win an Oscar nomination, if not the Academy Award. Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy and Daniel Oreskes lend able support. All in all, A Real Pain is a sweet and heartening film.
My rating – *** ½ out of 5!