After winning the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his role in A REAL PAIN, Keiran Culkin (Roman Roy in TV’s SUCCESSION) is being touted as a shoe-in nominee (and frontrunner to win) the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
And…that is a good thing for it brings more eyeballs to the intimate, character drama that he is co-starring in.
Written, Directed and Starring Jesse Eisenberg (THE SOCIAL NETWORK), A Real Pain follows a mismatched pair of cousins as they go on a Holocaust tour through Poland, ending at the house that their recently deceased Grandma grew up in before fleeing the country as the Nazi’s took control.
The situation is predictable enough as Eisenberg plays the uptight, buttoned down cousin while Culkin is “A Real Pain” as the “live in the moment”, do what you want when you want and say what you want to say whenever you need to say it cousin.
This premise could be very cliched if it were not for the smart writing of Eisenberg and the subtle, nuanced performances of both lead actors. For Eisenberg, wisely, eschews the “Odd Couple” cliches and allows both characters to have their own individual journey while also, at times, intersecting with the other.
Culkin, as stated above, is being touted as the favorite for the Best Supporting Actor nomination and I can see why. While his character is flamboyant, loud and brash, Culkin finds layers and levels to him and it is in the quiet times of this character that his acting really shines. It is a very good performance and I would not be disappointed if he would win. However, it did lack the “Oscar moment” that could have cemented things.
I WILL be disappointed if Jesse Eisenberg is not nominated for at least ONE of his three jobs on this film - Lead Actor, Director and Writer. As stated above, the writing is sharp and smart and Eisenberg follows that with sharp and smart direction as well, letting the picture linger just long enough to let the weight of the emotion sink in but not dwelling too long (that would make it maudlin).
But, it is his ACTING that is the best thing in this film - even above Culkin’s. His repressed character seethes and burns before exploding in the only true “Oscar moment” of the film in a monologue about why his cousin is “A Real Pain” that is blurted out while said cousin is in the bathroom. It is the best acting I have seen Eisenberg do since, well, The Social Network.
As for the movie itself, it could have used a little opening up for it focuses exclusively on these 2 characters and spending a continuous hour and a half with these 2 is “a real pain” (pun intended) while there are other characters on the same tour (most notably the one played by Jennifer Grey) that would have lifted the movie up and out of the weight of just the two main characters.
As it is, we’ll just have to settle for a film that is an interesting, but not too deep, look into the 2 lead characters.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
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