As an actor, his capabilities can’t be questioned. From iconic phrases like ‘Welcome to Facebook’ to iconic monologues such as “I’ve figured it out way back, if God is all powerful, he cannot be all good. And if he’s all good then he cannot be all powerful.” And now, his direction in A Real Pain is causing a major buzz.
So, how hot is the deal really?
Sundance Film Festival did take a break during the COVID times and made a comeback in 2023. But last year’s edition was a mild mediocrity, but this year’s version came out strong and promising.
Sundance has always been a platform for the underrated and underappreciated and even a birthplace of certain films that will later become a phenomenon. Last year, Past Lives managed to come second in the Best Film category by the critics and later, the A24 film managed to grab major attention.
But again, not all Sundance films that find success here guarantee success elsewhere. Last year’s Fair Play didn’t play well enough as it wasn’t received with much warm hearts. Even in 2022’s run, Fresh managed to grab major attention during the festival but later sank into darkness.
Exceptions are the only constant in there as Jesse Eisenberg’s ‘A Real Pain’ is showing all the possibilities to be the next big hit of the industry, not in terms of finances but in terms of appreciation.
Pairing up with Succession’s Kieran Culkin, Jesse managed to not only excel in on-screen performances but in terms of direction, does show a plethora of promises.
With 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.3 on IMDb, the ratings look promising, but the reviews look even better.
So, how does the plot look?
Two mismatched cousins, uptight David and free-spirited Benji, embark on a pilgrimage to Poland after their Bubbe’s passing. Amidst borscht and babkas, their heritage tour takes a hilarious yet poignant turn as they join a Holocaust group. Expect witty banter, clashing personalities, and unexpected discoveries as they confront family secrets, grapple with their Jewish identity, and maybe even learn a thing or two about themselves.
In terms of acting, freshly Emmy-baked Kieran Culkin manages to deliver the Succession-level performance, grabbing the Best Performance award at the festival. Besides that, the Best Director award was also grabbed by Eisenberg along with the best screenplay.
But one thing also makes A Real Pain a joyous journey as it didn’t face nearly as much competition as last year’s neck-and-neck race of Fair Play and Past Lives. A Real Pain managed to overshadow the others, and that too with ease.
So, Jesse did have a great run as the director, not his first one, but this proves that Jesse has the potential to be a good man in the director’s chair as well. Besides that, the storyline and the dialogues don’t disappoint at all, making it an exception over the previous year’s success at Sundance..
We’re hiring!
We are hiring two full-time junior to mid-level writers with the option to work remotely. You need to work a 5-hour shift and be available to write. Interested candidates should email their sample articles to [email protected]. Applications without a sample article will not be considered.
