“Sympathy, Love, Fortune… We all have these qualities but still tend to not use them!”
– Anne Frank
People find clarity through distance. Often, the farther away something is the more our understanding grows. But not always. And the way people adopt the history of their ancestors can vary. Some own ancient afflictions as if they live it still. Some never think on past at all, to deny it is to hide from embarrassment or run from anger. Some are numb. Walking through a mirror of time may not allow a healthy self-image as it depends on the way we learn our cultures. Still, history should never be denied. Its retelling can afford us leaps and bounds into becoming a better species. Unfortunately predicted by Orwell, and seen in recent years, some wish to rewrite history. They may do for entertainment’s purpose, or they may do for the discomfort of accepting truth. Either way, a most harmful effect of changing history is that we lose the ability to learn. More importantly, we lose the ability to learn from our mistakes.
Jesse Eisenberg, writer, director, actor, may or may not be trying to teach a lesson, but he does dominate an entirely new genre created in a way to make his film more real. A definition might be: history revealed through the feelings of others, quasi-documentary but mostly art. A Real Pain release is perfectly timed for the 80-year anniversary of Poland’s commemoration to the end of Auschwitz. Its release is a gift for audiences finding reward in deep self-reflection. An original screenplay nomination might make an affront to those in denial about what happened during a dark time of tyranny and its receding repercussions. But please. We are all human. Lighthearted comical moments try to reset everything when it leans a little heavy. And for anyone offended, hopefully they can let it go.
In an interview, Eisenberg makes clear his motive was to write about that time in a manner leaving out self-aggrandizement. Successfully A Real Pain is a version of holocaust reflection not reveling in itself, but encouraging connection and growth. As for today, anyone can see the shift toward anti-Semitic resurgence. Tough conflicts affect us all. But, are we really getting back to antisemitism? After what we have seen in the past… if we accept truth.
A Real Pain makes so much more than a statement. It is a field of flowers where pain once saturated society. So many rich, mind-firing ideas spawn from Eisenberg’s film title, A Real Pain. As you watch, consider how you feel these meanings. To be sure, you will make a link with several concepts. And this is how you connect with characters. The story also takes you on a shared adventure one may never think to dream of through towns and culture and relationships. To enhance your experience, the famous Polish composer Frederic Chopin plays through the entire background of every scene. So yes, I would say Eisenberg accomplished his goal as the plot is unassuming and fresh. Conversations are real.
Eisenberg grew up in New Jersey, but his roots are Polish. He was raised in a secular Jewish family in a modest setting and describes himself as having anxiety issues challenging his school and social life. These attributes make him a prime candidate for the role of David Kaplan, A Real Pain’s main character who walks alongside to contrast his strikingly opposite but close, dare I say beloved, cousin Benji Kaplan played by Kieran Culkin. Culkin will knock your socks off. Competition in supporting role for the Oscar win this year? None compare against this theater-focused actor who took years-time off to contemplate his direction in the industry and came out the other side strong.
An interesting bit you must know: Eisenberg cast Kieran Culkin without an audition, no tapes, and never seeing him perform in anything. That’s right. Per an interview with Eisenberg, Culkin, and Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing) he had only met him maybe twice in passing. Kieran, to my knowledge, has no Polish background, but the character who owns you for two hours is the real person in “essence.” In a story based on characters and not plot, if you aren’t swept away by performances, you have naught.
To the cast, you’re all phenomenal. I’ve watched this film three times. You’re like family. To Jessie Eisenberg, I can’t wait to see what you do next.
