If it’s April, that means many of Hollywood’s studios and distributors are figuring out their fall release plans. It also means many awards season movies are about to plant a flag on one opening day or another. This morning, Searchlight Pictures revealed that their acclaimed Sundance Film Festival acquisition, “A Real Pain,” will open in limited release on October 10.
Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain” centers on two semi-estranged cousins, David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin), who travel to Poland following the death of their beloved grandmother. A confrontation over their loving but tense relationship plays out while part of a tour group who are impressively empathetic to Benji’s unusual social etiquette. The cast is rounded out by Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Ellora Torchia, Kurt Egylawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes. The movie was produced by Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Dave McCary, among others.
In terms of awards season, the movie is, at a minimum, a player for a Supporting Actor (Culkin), and Original Screenplay (Eisenberg won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance for his screenplay). Best Picture and Best Actor (Eisenberg) are not out of reach. Other Oscar contenders on Searchlight’s roster this year are Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Kinds of Kindness,” set for a June 21 release, and Marielle Heller’s “Nightbitch” starring Amy Adams and Scoot McNairy. That dramedy is currently undated.
Currently, “A Real Pain” will only have to compete in New York and Los Angeles with the horror sequel “Smile 2.” That will no doubt change in the months ahead.
Eisenberg can be seen in “Sasquatch Sunset” later this month. “A Real Pain” is Culkin’s first on-screen role since “Succession’s” last season wrapped up in 2023.
Searchlight Pictures released a new image from “A Real Pain,” which accompanies this post below. A trailer for the movie is not expected until later this summer.
