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Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg are awkwardly paired mismatched Jewish American cousins who make a pilgrimage to Poland to honor their late grandmother in the highly acclaimed dark comedy A Real Pain. And according to Jesse, who wrote and directed the film, he didn’t intend to make any of the scenes particularly emotional. “It’s funny because people tell me they cry during the movie, and my question always to them is when?” the Social Network star said in a December 2024 interview with Deadline. “Because I didn’t direct any of the scenes to be crying scenes. I get different answers…[but] I’m always surprised by that.”
A Real Pain walked away with the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024, and went on to receive four Golden Globe nominations, three Critics Choice Awards nominations, and two Oscar nominations. Kieran took home the Golden Globe for best supporting actor on January 5.
If you haven’t yet taken an opportunity to see it, here’s how to watch A Real Pain.
What Is ‘A Real Pain’ About?
Jesse stars as David opposite Kieran as his cousin Benji. The duo treks to Poland to honor their late grandmother, but their badly matched personalities cause tension — as do old family complaints that bubble to the surface amid their bumpy journey. In his December interview, Jesse explained that much of the content came from his own life. “With this movie, I felt like there was enough there that can not only speak to my very specific personal life but could also be entertaining, funny, interesting, provocative and also cinematic …” Jesse told Deadline. “I thought this could be a good movie, but I’m always writing from a place of private thoughts.”
Who is in the Cast of ‘A Real Pain’?
Jesse and Kieran lead the cast, supported by Jakub Gasowski, Will Sharpe, Daniel Oreskes, Jennifer Grey, and Liza Sadovy, among others. Jesse’s son, Banner, also makes a cameo appearance.
How to Stream ‘A Real Pain’
A Real Pain is available to purchase or rent on all platforms. It can also be streamed on Hulu with a subscription. You can buy physical media of the movie, as well — the Blu-ray will be available on February 4, and you can pre-order it via Amazon Prime.
Was ‘A Real Pain’ Nominated at the Oscars?
Yes! A Real Pain received a pair of prestigious nominations for the biggest awards show in Hollywood, which will air March 2. Kieran received a nomination for best supporting actor, and Jesse received a nod for his original screenplay.
