Ep 199: Reviewing “A Real Pain” (Oscar Nominated, Dir. Jesse Eisenberg, 2024)

CONTENT WARNING: the Holocaust, WWII, and self-harmToday we’re discussing the Sundance-premiered indie drama, “A Real Pain” (Searchlight Pictures, 2024). Written, directed, and starring Jesse Eisenberg alongside a sparkler-bright performance by Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain” follows odd-couple cousins on a Holocaust tour of Poland to honor their survivor grandmother who recently passed. This small tour group comprised of recent retirees (Liza Sadovy, Daniel Oreskes), a divorcee (Jennifer Grey), a Rwandan genocide survivor (Kurt Egyiawan), and an Oxford scholar (Will Sharpe) play as an audience for the familial clashes and uncomfortable vulnerability of these two men who were once inseparable but seem now irreparably separate. Profound, funny, heart-breaking, and cathartic, “A Real Pain” is a road movie for the ages. Let’s get into it!Listen to us on your favorite podcast platform and follow us on social media to stay up to date on upcoming shows and announcements! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're now a part of the Umbrella Podcast Collective! Learn more about our podcast partners ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.