Jesse Eisenberg goes back behind the camera for drama A Real Pain. Here’s the trailer for the upcoming movie.
Jessie Eisenberg found huge success as an actor in the likes of Adventureland, The Social Network and the Zombieland films. He made his directorial debut in 2022 with comedy drama When You Finish Saving the World, for which he also wrote the script.
He wasted no time in getting back behind the camera for drama A Real Pain. The synopsis for which reads as follows:
From writer / director Jesse Eisenberg based on his own family history, mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) & Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the pair’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. A poignant, funny exploration of the unexpected permutations of intergenerational trauma.
It’s a passion project for Eisenberg, who writes, directs and stars, alongside Culkin, Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy and Daniel Oreskes.
The film also won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, so expect this one to make waves come next year’s awards season.
Eisenberg, speaking to The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year, said of the film “I’ve always been interested in Poland. My family comes from Poland. I was very close with my dad’s aunt who was born in 1912 and was in Poland until she was nine. She always told me stories about how she had this wonderful relationship with the Polish people. It was a little counter to things I had heard growing up about Polish-Jewish relations.”
Eisenberg is currently filming Now You See Me 3, in which he will reprise his role as J. Daniel Atlas opposite Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Mark Ruffalo. His most recent film, Sasquatch Sunset, was released in the UK this week. Eisenberg stars opposite Riley Keough.
A Real Pain will be released in UK cinemas on the 10th January 2025.
Watch the trailer below: