A Real Pain

Trailer, Teaser & Videos
Poster & Photos
Movie Details
Country | Poland, United States |
Language | English |
Genres | Comedy, Drama |
Release Date | January 20, 2024 (Sundance); November 1, 2024 (United States); November 8, 2024 (Poland) |
Running Time | 1hr 30min |
Age Rating | R |
Starring | Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, Daniel Oreskes |
Directed By | Jesse Eisenberg |
Written By | Jesse Eisenberg |
Produced By | Ewa Puszczyńska, Jennifer Semler, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Ali Herting, Dave McCary |
Cinematography By | Michał Dymek |
Edited By | Robert Nassau |
Casting By | Jessica Kelly |
Production Design By | Mela Melak |
Costume Design By | Malgorzata Fudala |
Production Company | Topic Studios, Fruit Tree, Rego Park, Extreme Emotions |
Distributor | Searchlight Pictures |
Cast & Characters
- Jesse Eisenberg as David Kaplan
- Kieran Culkin as Benji Kaplan
- Olha Bosova as Flight Attendant
- Banner Eisenberg as Abe
- Jakub Gasowski as Receptionist
- Will Sharpe as James
- Daniel Oreskes as Mark
- Liza Sadovy as Diane
- Kurt Egyiawan as Eloge
- Jennifer Grey as Marcia
- Ellora Torchia as Priya
- Piotr Czarniecki as Conductor
- Krzysztof Jaszczak as Pianist
- Marek Kasprzyk as Older Man
- Jakub Pruski as Son
Storyline
“A Real Pain” follows mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) as they reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, but their adventure takes a dark turn when the odd couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
About A Real Pain Movie
In August 2022, Screen Daily announced that Jesse Eisenberg would write, direct, and star in A Real Pain alongside Kieran Culkin. The film is produced by Emma Stone, Dave McCary, and Ali Herting under their Fruit Tree banner. This marks Eisenberg’s second feature film as a writer-director and his second collaboration with Fruit Tree following When You Finish Saving the World (2022). For Culkin, this is his first major project following the conclusion of HBO’s Succession (2018–2023).
Eisenberg initially cast Culkin based on his essence and his sister’s recommendation, despite not being familiar with Culkin’s work. At first, Eisenberg withheld the first ten pages of the script, as he envisioned the role of Benji for a Jewish actor. However, he later admitted that Culkin brought authenticity and depth to the role, even though Culkin was raised Irish Catholic. Eisenberg initially considered playing Benji himself but ultimately decided to focus on directing.
Culkin hesitated to join the project after Succession, citing exhaustion and reluctance to be away from his family. Two weeks before filming, he considered dropping out but was convinced to stay on after encouragement from Emma Stone, who emphasized the production’s reliance on him.
Eisenberg, whose family has Polish Jewish roots, wrote A Real Pain as a way to explore the intersection of modern struggles like anxiety and depression with the historical trauma of the Holocaust. Inspired by his family history and a trip to Poland in 2008, he aimed to juxtapose contemporary pain with the horrors of World War II, creating a visually evocative and thematically rich narrative.
Principal photography took place in New York City and Poland from May to June 2023. Eisenberg relied on Google Maps and personal photos from his earlier travels to Poland for initial location scouting. Polish cinematographer Michał Dymek, whose deep familiarity with Warsaw’s history shaped the film’s visuals, used perspective and lens choices to reflect the characters’ emotional and psychological states. His artistic approach emphasized Poland’s beauty while capturing the complexities of the story’s themes.
A Real Pain Release Date
A Real Pain premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2024. It went on to have its European premiere at the Zurich Film Festival and was featured at numerous other prestigious festivals, including the American Film Institute Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Haifa International Film Festival, Heartland International Film Festival, La Roche-sur-Yon International Film Festival, Mar del Plata International Film Festival, New Orleans Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, and Valladolid International Film Festival.
Following its Sundance debut, Searchlight Pictures acquired worldwide distribution rights for $10 million during an all-night auction. The film received a limited theatrical release in the United States on November 1, 2024, before expanding to a wide release on November 15. Initially planned for release on October 18, the schedule was adjusted to maximize audience reach.
In Poland, A Real Pain premiered at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews as the opening film of the Warsaw Jewish Film Festival and was released in theaters on November 8, 2024. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the film debuted on January 8, 2025, two days earlier than its previously scheduled release date of January 10.
Budget & Box Office Collection
Budget | $3 million |
Domestic Opening | $228,856 |
Domestic Collection | $8,229,859 |
International Collection | $6,260,031 |
Worldwide Collection | $14,489,890 |
Soundtracks
The score for A Real Pain is almost entirely composed of piano pieces written by the Polish virtuoso Frédéric Chopin, and performed by Israeli-Canadian classical pianist Tzvi Erez. Among the featured compositions are Chopin’s ballades, études, nocturnes, preludes, and waltzes.
Awards & Nominations
A Real Pain won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.[69] At the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, it received four nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and won Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for Culkin. At the 30th Critics’ Choice Awards, it received three nominations.
The film earned two nominations at the 78th British Academy Film Awards. It additionally received four nominations at the 29th Satellite Awards, two nominations at the 40th Independent Spirit Awards, and one nomination at the 34th Gotham Awards. The American Film Institute and the National Board of Review named A Real Pain as one of the top ten best films of 2024.