If you've been wondering what to watch this weekend, then Disney Plus has answered that question, as its UK library now includes one of the best comedy movies of last year (which was nominated for Oscars, it's that good). If you live in the US, the movie streams on Hulu, but it was added there in January so you've been able to stream it for a while.
The film in question is A Real Pain, which hit theaters at the end of last year. It's about two estranged cousins who go on a Jewish heritage tour of Poland after the death of their grandmother, and they butt heads over local customs, their own childhoods and their views on their shared history. At times it's funny, at times it's somber, and at times it's heartwarming as the cousins learn to help each other.
The movie was directed and written by Jesse Eisenberg, and he also stars in it alongside Kieran Culkin. Brit viewers may also recognize Casualty, Giri/Haji and The White Lotus season 2 actor Will Sharpe in an important starring role.
It's clear that A Real Pain is personal for Eisenberg, who has Polish heritage and (as of a month ago) has citizenship for the country too. However, A Real Pain isn't just a movie for people who can relate to the topic because it's thick with humor and drama throughout, helping you understand the gravity and levity of the various scenes.
Unlike certain other Oscar-nominated movies of 2024, A Real Pain was universally beloved: it has a 96% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and 81% audience score, and it performed well at various award ceremonies, netting Culkin multiple acting awards and Eisenberg a writing one. At the Oscars, it was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay and it won the former.
If you're a Disney Plus subscriber, then you'll have noticed that most of its movie releases recently have been aimed at younger audiences (Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip were its notable releases through March) and so A Real Pain is a great antithesis to those. It gives adults who maintain a subscription something to watch. And if you're not already a subscriber, but have been considering picking up a Disney Plus deal to see what's on the streamer, then A Real Pain should be at the top of your list.
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