A Real Pain

film by Eisenberg [2024]

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 17, 2026

Quick Summary

A Real Pain is a 2024 film written, directed by, and starring Jesse Eisenberg. The movie follows two Jewish cousins, played by Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin, as they travel to Poland to honor their recently deceased grandmother. Their journey involves visiting Holocaust sites and their grandmother's childhood home. Eisenberg drew inspiration from his own family history for the film, with a character based on his great-aunt Doris, who was born and raised in Poland. The film was well-received by critics, and Eisenberg earned an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Kieran Culkin
Wider acclaim: Succession and A Real Pain
…supporting actor—for his performance in A Real Pain (2024), in which he starred with Jesse Eisenberg, who also wrote and directed the dramedy. An exploration of faith and family, the film focuses on two cousins who honor their recently deceased grandmother by traveling from the United States to her homeland,…
Read More
…supporting actor—for his performance in A Real Pain (2024), in which he starred with Jesse Eisenberg, who also wrote and directed the dramedy. An exploration of faith and family, the film focuses on two cousins who honor their recently deceased grandmother by traveling from the United States to her homeland,…
Read More

Jesse Eisenberg
Directing
…wrote, directed, and starred in A Real Pain (2024), about two Jewish cousins (Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin) who honor their recently deceased grandmother by traveling to Poland, where they tour Holocaust sites and visit her childhood home. Eisenberg drew from his own family history for the movie. The character Grandma…
Read More
…wrote, directed, and starred in A Real Pain (2024), about two Jewish cousins (Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin) who honor their recently deceased grandmother by traveling to Poland, where they tour Holocaust sites and visit her childhood home. Eisenberg drew from his own family history for the movie. The character Grandma…
Read More