A Real Pain has been on my mind all year since I saw it at Sundance. After its October theatrical release, it is now available for digital purchase. Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin star as cousins on a Holocaust tour in Poland, culminating in visiting their grandparents’ home. And it’s a comedy.
This is a profound movie thematically as it pushes lines about when it is appropriate to joke, and then gut punches the characters and viewer with deep dramatic revelations. But, at home you get to see the tour in 4k. Those are real historic sites documented vividly for posterity.
The Majdanek concentration camp is a rarity. As writer/director Eisenberg explains in a 20 minute behind the scenes featurette, the camp approved filming there because they were showing it as the monument today, not recreating atrocities of the Holocaust in a period piece.
There are some noticeable surround sound effects too, from the bustle of the airport to the hotel door opening in the rear when Culkin’s character comes in late.
That behind the scenes look also tells Eisenberg’s family story, including a couple of photos of his real visit. Producer Emma Stone also comments on the complexity of Culkin’s character and the supporting cast is also included.