The film, dubbed an heir of Woody Allen, follows Jewish American cousins who travel to Poland in memory of their late grandmother

INTERVIEW: The sardonic, straight-faced star of ‘The Social Network’ sits down with Patrick Smith to discuss his new film ‘A Real Pain’, his friendship with ‘fairy godmother’ Emma Stone, and the ‘tran

A Real Pain follows the cousins as they embark on a Holocaust tour of Poland in memory of their grandmother, a Holocaust survivor who recently passed away. While the pair, who were very close as children,

Jesse Eisenberg kicks off awards season for his film A Real Pain, and quietly supporting him will be his wife, Anna Strout. The film, which Eisenberg wrote, directed, and stars in, follows two cousins who travel to Poland to honor their late grandmother and learn about their heritage.

So “A Real Pain” is a buddy comedy-drama written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, who played Mark Zuckerberg in 2010’s “The Social Network” and was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar.

Jesse Eisenberg wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the film opposite Culkin, who also won a Golden Globe for his work on the film. It was among the 12 films nominated in the Best Motion Picture categories at the Globes, too, and Eisenberg picked up nods for his lead performance in the film and the screenplay.

Set to an eloquent and frequently melancholy soundtrack of Chopin’s piano music, A Real Pain is a bittersweet story about two Jewish cousins, Benji and David Kaplan (Kieran Culkin and Eisenberg), who take a trip to Poland in memory of their beloved ...

As opposed to [Jesse] who was there a long time." "I was there for a long time, but I was writing the movie during the pandemic," Eisenberg says. "I couldn't go to Poland for a research trip so I ...

Kieran Culkin won the 2025 Golden Globe award for best supporting actor for his performance as Benji in this cousins-on-a-Holocaust tour drama

When, as their last act in Poland, the cousins visit their grandmother’s birthplace and lay rocks on the threshold, a sympathetic yet pragmatic Polish neighbour points out this may pose a hazard to the house’s current elderly resident.

Seeing about 150 new movies in a year might seem like a lot, but it’s one of the best ways to really grasp the cinematic calendar that was. The year 2024 will not go down as a banner one for film in a vacuum because of how the Hollywood strikes impacted the release calendar.

Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan Where: In theatres near you Rating: 3.5 Stars With this film, director Jesse Eisenberg masterfully navigates the treacherous terrain of historical trauma and familial dysfunction,