50/21
Benji Kaplan: That’s what shitty filmmaking is all about, folks
Story
Mismatched cousins David and Benji have reunited on a tour of Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn for the worse when the couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. When Benji and David visit their grandmother’s house in Poland, it is where Jesse Eisenberg; the real ancestors settled in the diaspora. Referring to Amanda the Jedi Show: THE BEST and Most Awesome Movies You (Mostly) Haven’t Seen Yet | Love Lies Bleeding (2024).
But Culkin is just annoying
(Seen at a preview in Bristol as part of the London Film Festival) I had high hopes for “A Real Pain”; but despite a handful of funny moments and emotional speeches, there are simply too many areas where it misses the mark. The biggest positive is Jesse Eisenberg himself. The writer/director stars in the film as clumsy yet successful New Yorker David, who invites his cousin Benji (Kieran Culkin) on a trip to Poland to pay his respects to their grandmother and reflect on their personal struggles. Eisenberg is believable and likeable and is at the heart of the best scenes.
The role would be much stronger if played straight
It’s an energetic performance, no doubt about it, but his short temper and inability to read the situation means he’s the type of person you’d try to get away from within minutes of meeting him. It is hard to believe that he will become the star of the tour group. Will Sharpe is also very weak as the tour guide, who uses a posh Yorkshire accent for comedic effect – perhaps not so jarring to American ears, but these British ears were sorely disappointed. The rest of the cast have small roles, but Jennifer Gray (yes, THE Jennifer Grey) and Kurt Egyiawan stand out and bring authenticity to their characters.
Situations develop, or are believed to have developed, without any apparent cause or solution
Aside from the variable acting, there’s a general feeling that the scenes were improvised and workshopped as they went along. For a drama to be successful – and it is essentially a drama – there must be tension in the script and story development that "A Real Pain" is missing. Any momentum that builds up is easily lost – I looked at my watch after half an hour and the film feels long even though it’s less than 90 minutes long. And there are times when I feel like it’s a promotion for the Polish Tourist Board – don’t get me wrong, it made me want to visit, I just don’t think that’s the role of a feature film.
A missed opportunity
"A Real Pain" he suggests that something important needs to be said about grief, but he never finds the right words. See the full lineup for the 62nd New York Film Festival this fall.
https://kitchart.ir/its-whats-inside-2024-web-dl-h264-torrent/
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