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A Real Pain

Play trailer 2:20 Poster for A Real Pain R Released Nov 15, 2024 1h 29m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 274 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 500+ Verified Ratings
Mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
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A Real Pain

A Real Pain

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Critics Consensus

Led by a scene-stealing turn from Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain is a powerfully funny, emotionally resonant dramedy that finds writer-director-star Jesse Eisenberg playing to his strengths on either side of the camera.

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Audience Says

A Real Pain handles weighty themes with restraint and levity in an off-the-cuff naturalistic way poignantly rendered by Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg.

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Critics Reviews

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Adam Nayman Toronto Star For the most part, it feels as though the complications and confrontations are being generated by the people onscreen instead of doled out by a screenwriter. Rated: 3/4 Jun 17, 2025 Full Review Stephen Romei The Australian [Keiran Culkin] is remarkable from the opening scene to the final moment. Rated: 4/5 Feb 21, 2025 Full Review Udita Jhunjhunwala Livemint Eisenberg tenderly and firmly directs the movie, entering the Holocaust experience through a comic road trip, speaking of modern life and several unmined feelings that continue to haunt third generation Americans. Jan 28, 2025 Full Review Tim Miller Cape Cod Wave Magazine Writer-director Jesse Eisenberg blends humor and heartbreak in this buddy dramedy in which he and Kieran Culkin play cousins who tour Poland in memory of their Holocaust survivor grandmother. Rated: 4/4 Jul 22, 2025 Full Review Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) It may seem prudent to simply push emotions down, but A Real Pain asks us if we could do something else. Instead of ignoring them or fully indulging our worst instincts, maybe it would be better to try to express those emotions in a healthier way. Rated: 4/5 Jul 16, 2025 Full Review Fletcher Powell KMUW - Wichita Public Radio A huge step up for Eisenberg as a director. Apr 17, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Nathan Just a beautiful movie exploring the bonds of family and the pain that gets passed down through generations Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/15/25 Full Review Ettie Great concept. Can’t say I ever saw a film about cousins. Would have loved a better ending & there was room to do so. Not sure why the writers decided to end it like that. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/25 Full Review Ruth W Performances from Eisenberg and Culkin were great. I think the other characters could have been fleshed out more to make the story more multi-dimensional. I also bought the big reveal about Culkin's character in a monologue was a bit abrupt. Obviously Eisenberg made a conscious decision not to have flashbacks in the film, but maybe there could have been a better way to communicate the characters challenges. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/11/25 Full Review Karen The movie was very slow and left us all confused Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/02/25 Full Review Jason B Outstanding performances make this film worth seeing. Funny and touching, it is a bit of an emotional roller coaster… like real life can be. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/25 Full Review Mike C Really enjoyed this. Quirky, educational, emotional, well acted. Glad we saw it. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/29/25 Full Review Read all reviews
A Real Pain

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A Real Pain

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Movie Info

Synopsis Mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Director
Jesse Eisenberg
Producer
Jesse Eisenberg, Ali Herting, Dave McCary, Ewa Puszczyńska, Jennifer Semler, Emma Stone, Ewa Puszczyńska
Screenwriter
Jesse Eisenberg
Distributor
Searchlight Pictures
Production Co
Topic Studios, Fruit Tree, Extreme Emotions
Rating
R (Some Drug Use|Language Throughout)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 15, 2024, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 31, 2024
Box Office (Gross USA)
$8.3M
Runtime
1h 29m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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