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Film reviews

A Real Pain Review

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A championship work-of-art that deserves ivory tower status in the works of Jesse Eisenberg.  As the director, writer and one of the leads, he explores what it means to find closeness with family in A Real Pain. Eisenberg hits it so hard that his achievement will be remembered for ages. With premieres at Sundance Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, and more, there is a bright shining light radiating from A Real Pain. The dynamic can be seen in the eyes of Kieran Culkin. For those who love Culkin as Roman Roy from Succession, you will feel his character is back with the common Roman attitude—quirky, opinionated, vocal, and crazy. All those characteristics arelinked to true feelings in this story. The film vividly tests the waters of human emotions in a unique way that is exhilarating and brilliant.

Eisenberg plays David Kaplan and Culkin plays Benji Kaplan. They are cousins embarking on a trip to Poland in honor of their grandmother. Both characters have odd personalities. David has a normal life with a full-time job, a wife, and a son. He lives by-the-book and gets stressed if events are not in order. Benji is the opposite of David. He is always squirmy and loves his marijuana. He does not have a filter and speaks his mind frequently. Is this going to be an issue when David goes overseas with Benji? Their behavior patterns form a bond where love and hate tango like crazy. Eisenberg’s writing and direction result in a joyful flow that is Oscar-worthy in A Real Pain.

Their real frustration and connection happen once they are in Poland as part of a tour group visiting tourist attractions with other vacationers. This is when A Real Pain begins to deliver breathtaking acting. On the tour, David wants to absorb the tour, but Benji always insists on bringing joy to the occasion. When there are facts Benji does not agree with, he speaks up with some harsh tones. David tries to keep his calm given that Benji is his family. Deep-down, however, Benji can be a real pain for Dave.

The issues of culture and heritage cause other pains during the trip. There are many difficulties in the past and the present on this Polish adventure in A Real Pain. The cousins’ relationship has love and hate which is reassessed repeatedly through the experiences of Eisenberg and Culkin. Through their eyes, viewers can feel their pain which spurs empathy and a touch of sadness. Their trip opens many doors to feelings of despair which then find paths to happiness. Ultimately, the film is a mind-blowing reminder to always love family. 

The truth hurts and A Real Pain’s compelling subject matter and serious tone are powerful. Eisenberg’s writing creates a pattern in which his own character must learn to step out of his shell to deal with his cousin when they are both thousands of miles away from home. Culkin is the master of unpredictable behavior in his role as Benji. He knocks his performance out of the ballpark. The revolving door of the bond and personality clash between Eisenberg and Culkin sends a message to love, accept, and even help when it is possible. Families may be a pain, but life can be a real pain. Eisenberg’s directing dazzles in a way that sets the film apart.

As someone who has personally struggled with making connections and feeling disconnected, A Real Pain hit me hard.  I felt simultaneously emotional and uplifted as I reflected on who and why we love. I have sometimes had challenges getting along with my own family and realize that is a natural part of life. The dramatizations in A Real Pain make complete and honest sense which make it a very relatable film.

I have come face-to-face with both Eisenberg and Culkin. I saw Eisenberg walking from a distance when I was at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016, and I told him his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network was brilliant. He simply replied, “Thank You.” I saw Culkin in the play This is our Youth in 2014 at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. This was before his well-known part in Succession. Both men have truly grown as naturally gifted actors. Seeing them deliver this one-of-a-kind masterpiece is something I will always remember. 

Eisenberg and Culkin both display a level of acting ability which is purely genius. From my vantage point, Culkin nails it! He will make audiences laugh, cry, and anxious to learn how many joyful surprises he has in store in A Real Pain. How real does the pain feel in A Real Pain? It is quite deep and gut-wrenching, while also extremely heartfelt. It is a mammoth win on many fronts for both Eisenberg and Culkin and tops my chart for the best film of 2024. Four out of four stars A Real Pain.

Film reviews

Heretic Review

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When it comes to religion and theology, there are always layers of context regarding the various theories that are questioned. These layers thrive with an in-depth sense of sinisterism in Heretic. Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, they present a demonic tone that stays clearly present throughout Heretic. I found the format and setup to be realistic and almost like a puzzle. The terror, however, is what makes the film twisted. Just when you think one thing is happening, connections and dangerous methods are thrown into this mix which leads to a hole that is detrimental to crawl out of. 

The film is centered on two young religious girls. They are Sister Barnes (played by Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (played by Chloe East). They are both missionaries who practice Mormon religion. They are doing rounds knocking on doors promoting what their religious beliefs and practices. When they knock on the door of an older gentlemen, Mr. Reed (played by Hugh Grant), he initially delivers a welcoming, friendly attitude. Then, as their conversation continues, his tone as well as his home start to present strange things. He delves into religious topics and suggests that faith has two elements, “belief” and “disbelief.” Given his weird personality, the girls find themselves scared and realize he has trapped them in his home. Soon they are in a deadly game of survival with Mr. Reed. If they cannot prove their theories effectively with him, they may end up never leaving his home.

Grant’s performance in the role of an old, tender yet deceitful man is the fuel to the fire in Heretic. Mr. Reed’s ability to cause the girls to fear for their lives as they navigate his theories creates a complicated landscape. Trying to determine what is known, true, false, or should be rightly questioned in religion and theology are all explored. Heretic delivers a sense of psychological uncharted territory in a dark manner that continues to evolve in an unpleasant way during this cinematic experience.

The focus is solely on Sister Barnes, Sister Paxton, and Mr. Reed—it is like a dueling trivia match where death is likely if wrong. The writing and directing of Beck and Woods keep viewers thinking about religious theories and their accuracy. Do they all eventually agree for the victims to live? The story highlights the lengths to which curiosity can go and leads to a sensational one-of-a-kind death match that is relentless. Heretic leaves the audience repeatedly thinking “WOW” in the back of their minds. The element of surprise is more than what audience expects in Heretic. This film is a genius gem filled with moving parts which portray how someone sinister can find a new maker.

Is there a chance that the girls can escape this evil home? Are the theological and religious theories factual? How well do Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton know their faith? Ultimately, their faith will allow them to find a door to make it out alive. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Heretic.

Film reviews

The Rule of Jenny Pen Review

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The portrayal of derangement in old age is at its finest as the core of  The Rule of Jenny Pen. Written and directed by James Ashcroft he offers a new blend of terror where the lines of laughter find their angles. The Rule of Jenny Pen finds a tone of quirkiness that keeps its genius track. It is a film where the elderly seek revenge. With the performances of Geoffrey Rush (as Stefan Mortensen) and John Lithgow (as Dave Crealy), they both deliver a sinister mode of acting style where they may be nice at heart, but deep down there is a misdirection that is surreal.

Stefan Mortensen is the main character of the film. He is a judge who finds himself to be in an aging crisis. His health issues cause him to move into a nursing home, where boggled and irritated by having his life transition, he must learn to share with other elderly individuals. One of these folks is Dave Crealy, a demented man of cruelty who is quite terrorizing. He continually pushes to Stefan to play a game called “The Rule of Jenny Pen” which involves a doll with personification to be a tool of rudeness. Once this happens, the film is a gradual ride of laughter and terror (at the minimal level). Repulsive in some fragments, The Rule of Jenny Pen is one of those experiences where tolerance may be a necessity.

The cruelty of the film is where it most captures the attention ofits audience. The Rule of Jenny Pen is a spellbinding and creative journey where a strange form of creativity keeps building a balance between two elderly men in one never-ending boxing match of an anxiety-provoking behavior. It is psychologically crazy, while also killer funny. The Rule of Jenny Pen has a form of writing that blends into humor that is witty—the scenarios may seem disturbing, but they grasp what can also be hysterical. 

With the film’s terror coming from the use of a doll, it delivers the impression that the doll may have powers, which it in fact does in a way. These powers though are discrete. The cleverness though, is how it fuels the persona of the doll as being the source of the blame. Any form of conflict between Stefan and Dave is linked back to the doll. It is a never-ending ride of the blame game, frustrations in the nursing home, and a question of its audience asking who will have a heart attack first.

As the bonkers of agitations go above and beyond (from the performances of Rush and Lithgow), it delivers a classiness of characterization of the quirks of an elderly age. The only add-on is a puppet that becomes the source of the blame and the of the butting heads. The Rule of Jenny Pen does at times lack seriousness and authenticity, but it does right to remain in its lane to be psychologically crazy and fun. Three out of four stars for The Rule of Jenny Pen.