I would have put The Brutalist or Conclave on this list had I not just watched A Real Pain by Jesse Eisenberg. Incredibly poignant and touching portrayal of loss and how pain is reverberated throughout time. Kieran Culkin had me sobbing like a puppy.
I rate it: 5 bags of popcorn and a copy of Holy Rollers.
Jan 24, 2025
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This movie was a beautifully simple and complex film at the same time. I highly recommend as this was one of my favorites I've seen this year.
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. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Written and directed by Eisenberg, this film shows the beauty of Poland despite the tragedies that have occurred. Kieran Culkin is truly given the opportunity to explore his emotional range and gives an absolutely captivating performance. Eisenberg holds his own and plays against Culkin really well.
Nov 29, 2024
The Kieran Culkin + Jesse Eisenberg duo is absolutely incredible. Great flick if you like real dialogue and believable characters. It has a lot to say!
Feb 12, 2025
I knew I was going to love this movie just because of the concept and the fact that it’s Kieran culkin and Jesse eisenberg but right now it’s the morning after I saw it and I’m sitting in bed crying thinking about certain things different characters but especially David, Jesse eisenbergs character said
I’ll tear up at a movie every once in a while but this movie really hit me because it is so relevant to how im feeling recently like literally every element of David and Benjis (Kieran culkin) emotional characteristics and their relationship with each other is relevant
My aunt passed away in September and I have been weirdly impacted by it since then and I have been working on controlling anxiety and depression for four years now with minimal progress and those two things, (David’s OCD and anxiety/Benji’s grief) are essentially what lead David and Benji to take this trip together so as we learn more and more about their relationship with each other and their personalities themselves it kept getting more and more personal to an almost unbelievable degree
Theres a point where something happens and David sort of opens up and what he says about not actually being okay but just presenting that he’s okay because he takes his medication and runs and meditates and goes to work then comes home then does it all again that really really hit me
It is such a perfect blend of funny but also deeply serious and emotional so even if it’s not as relevant to you right now I think everyone should see this movie
Nov 15, 2024
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Jan 24, 2025
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A very enjoyable and easy read. Hard to put down as the characters and the world they inhabit draws you in.
Jan 1, 2025