A Real Pain

A Real Pain is a 2024 comedy-drama film written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg. An international co-production between Poland and the United States, the film stars Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin as mismatched cousins who reunite for a Jewish heritage tour through Poland in honor of their late grandmother, but their old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. Its supporting cast includes Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes. Principal photography took place primarily in Poland from May to June 2023. A Real Pain premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 1, 2024, and in Poland on November 8 by Searchlight Pictures. The film received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for Eisenberg's screenplay and Culkin's performance. It grossed $24.7 million worldwide on a $3 million production budget. A Real Pain received several accolades, including two nominations at the 97th Academy Awards and 78th British Academy Film Awards, and four at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards; Culkin won Best Supporting Actor at each ceremony, while Eisenberg won the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay. It was named as one of the top ten films of 2024 by the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review.