Expectations can be a pretty dangerous thing when it comes to movies. Go into a film with your excitement levels too high, and it’s easy to walk away disappointed when the movie doesn’t measure up to the unrealistic bar you’ve set in your head. That certainly could have been the case with “A Real Pain." After loving the initial trailer and hearing glowing recommendations from colleagues, my sky-high expectations seemed destined to be unfulfilled.
However, to my sheer delight, “A Real Pain” was everything I’d hoped, wanted and needed it to be. This 2024 comedy-drama had me laughing, reflecting and then thanking Jesse Eisenberg for crafting such a special little movie. And now this critical darling, and awards contender, has arrived on Hulu (as of Jan. 16) following a (brief) period on premium video-on-demand streaming.
While I’d already filed my favorite movies of 2024 roundup before seeing the movie, if I were to rework my ranking, “A Real Pain” wouldn’t just be included, it would be right at the top. Here’s why this movie is a must-watch on Hulu.
What is ‘A Real Pain’ about?
David (Jesses Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) are two American Jewish cousins with very different personalities and outlooks on life. David is socially awkward and neurotic, while Benji is boisterous and always speaks his mind. Having drifted apart, "A Real Pain" opens with the cousins reuniting at the airport as they prepare to travel from New York City to Poland.
However, the two aren’t just traveling to Europe for a vacation, they’ve signed up for a Holocaust tour of the picturesque country to honor their grandmother, who fled Poland to escape the war. While visiting various memorial sites, and connecting with their heritage, old grievances, tensions and resentments begin to resurface.
'A Real Pain' is humorous, heartfelt and harrowing
Jesse Eisenberg serves as writer, director and lead actor in “A Real Pain” and there’s a palatable sense from the start that this is a hugely personal picture to Eisenberg. From a Jewish background with Polish ancestry, Eisenberg appears to have poured himself into this comedy-drama, giving the movie an almost unrivaled sense of authenticity. Plus, he’s cited a desire to portray Poland as ”beautiful and dynamic and colorful," an objective he succeeds in achieving (I’ve been myself, it’s a very special corner of the world).
However, while Eisenberg crafted “A Real Pain," the star of the show is Kieran Culkin. The “Succession” actor once again steals the spotlight with ease, much like he did throughout the aforementioned HBO show’s run. Benji is a compassionate, charming and charismatic figure, but behind the humor and carefree attitude, Benji hides real pain (no pun intended). Culkin particularly shines brightest during a memorable scene on a train, in which he struggles to reconcile the horrors of the past with the luxuries of our modern-day lifestyle.
Eisenberg and Culkin’s odd-couple dynamic is the driving force of “A Real Pain," but while the movie mines plenty of effective comedy from their chemistry, it’s not afraid to get serious when the subject matter demands it.
Generational trauma is an ever-present theme, but it’s the part where the tour group visits the Lublin concentration camp that impacted me most. Having visited Auschwitz-Birkenau during my own trip to Poland, I can attest to the profound impact of standing in a place where such atrocities were committed, and Eisenberg captures this feeling with a fitting tone and by stripping away music and dialogue. All the focus is on the haunting past.
Perhaps “A Real Pain’s” biggest achievement is that it covers such harrowing ground and yet still feels like a deeply uplifting watch by the end. It’s one of the most human movies I’ve ever watched, running a full gamut of emotions, and while it confronts the pain of the past (and present) head-on, it’s never a movie to wallow in total misery, instead, it’s a thoughtful picture that uplifts by the end. It’s really something special, and I can’t wait to rewatch it.
You must watch ‘A Real Pain’ on Hulu right now
I’m not alone in my adoration of “A Real Pain.” The movie holds a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and from almost 230 reviews too, so we’re not talking about a small sample size. The flick has also been ever-present during the ongoing awards season, with Culkin recently winning a Gloden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, which was richly deserved.
“A Real Pain” is expected to be a contender at the upcoming 97th Academy Awards (aka Oscars 2025) and I’ll be rooting for the flick to take home as many golden statues as possible. If you skipped it during its limited theatrical release last November (or on PVOD in late December), I implore you to watch it on Hulu, the acclaim is warranted. “A Real Pain” is a genuine joy to watch.
Once you’ve streamed “A Real Pain”, here are new movies you can watch across the best streaming service this week.
Watch "A Real Pain" on Hulu now
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