A Real Pain, the acclaimed comedy-drama starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin, is now available to stream on Disney+. The platform launched the film on April 2, months after Succession star Culkin won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance. Written and directed by The Social Network star Eisenberg, who also stars, the film follows mismatched cousins David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin), who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother.
The adventure takes a turn when the odd couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. The film also stars Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan and Liza Sadovy, with Emma Stone serving as producer. Much of it was filmed on location in Poland in 2023 and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last year.
A Real Pain is available to stream with a Disney+ membership, which starts at £4.99 for a monthly subscription that can be cancelled any time. Members can save up to £25.98 and get the equivalent of two months free by paying for a year upfront on the Standard or Premium plan, bagging 12 months for the price of 10. A Real Pain was released to overwhelming acclaim last year, and earned nominations at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes and BAFTAs. Eisenberg took home the BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay, but missed out on the Best Original Screenplay Sean Baker’s Anora, while Culkin also won the BAFTA for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
It follows his beloved and multi-award-winning performance in Sky drama Succession, which earned him an Emmy and two Golden Globes. For those who have yet to catch the acclaimed series, all episodes are available on-demand with Sky.
A Real Pain debuted with a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, though this has now dropped slightly to 96%. Countless fans have shared their thoughts on social media since the film’s release, with many hailing the ‘incredible work’ of its stars.
It debuted with a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, though this has now dropped slightly to 96%. Countless fans have shared their thoughts on social media since the film’s release, with many hailing the ‘incredible work’ of its stars.
Writing on X, one fan said: “Finally watched A Real Pain, and what a delight. Incredible work from Jesse Eisenberg in front of and behind the camera, and yeah, Kieran Culkin was absolutely fantastic. Equally humorous and moving, it’s a great film.”
Another said: “A Real Pain is an exceptional example of a film that evaluates the human condition in both a concise and entertaining format. Culkin’s ability to evince myriad emotions is definitely worth celebrating. How Eisenberg lost to Anora for best screenplay is truly beyond me.”
A third said: “A Real Pain is just as incredible as I thought it would be. Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin and Will Sharpe are 10/10 and the cinematography is beautiful. Such a brilliant mixture of funny and sad moments.”
However, not everyone agreed: “Disappointed by A Real Pain. It definitely had moments of charm and felt so real but the ending was just meh. Loved Kieran Culkin though.”