Jesse Eisenberg had thrown out his playbook to direct Kieran Culkin in "A Real Pain" act.
Kieran Culkin also accepted the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for the SUCCESSION during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, 15th of January, 2024 at the Peacock Theater which is in Los Angeles.
Although, Jesse Eisenberg had not seen the SUCCESSION when he was writing his new film by name "A Real Pain". But Hallie Eisenberg his sister knew from years of watching Roman Roy that Kieran Culkin would be perfect.
The film which premieres at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, follows the two very mismatched cousins who are one anxiety ridden and rule following and the other a more spontaneous spirit during there trip to Poland. They were actually reuniting to see where their late grandmother was from and also to explore some Holocaust locations around there.
Meanwhile, Eisenberg had wanted to play the spontaneous one, which was also similar to a character he had already played on stage in '''The Spoils''' in England. But he was gently talked out of it. It was then that he realized that a taxing role which might be too much to handle while also directing, as Culkin became aspirational.
Although, they had previously met through their mutual friend Emma Stone, who also produced '''A Real Pain''' but he didn’t really know him too well. And he had quickly discovered that casting Culkin and directing him as well, even getting him through on set, was a different kind of challenge altogether that he didn't expected.
Meanwhile, three weeks before firing, in which Eisenberg was in ""knee-deep in securing the actual locations"" when Culkin told him that he was initially thinking of dropping out. He didn’t drop out, but he also arrived on set only a day before filming, telling Eisenberg simply that he understood the character and that he also works best without blocking. I had spent months blocking out the scenes with Polish actors, Eisenberg said.
During the halfway through day one, we had to change our plans and it was completed and was at a great advantage of the movie because Kieran is such a live wire.
Tho, he was such an amazing actor and also he’s so brilliantly funny to the core which attained him in my pre-planned shot list would have killed the spontaneity and the energy of the movie.
Also, it was both flummoxed and he elated his cinematographer who had never worked with an actor who didn’t even adhere to the marks. But, Eisenberg said that the scenes where they could ditch out was the dolly and just follow Culkin “sparkled.”
I love both the characters so much, Eisenberg said and I suspected that the audiences will just assume that I’m very much like the character in which i played. But they are both the people I know and at once I am kind of the nervous person in the room who wishes I can get out of my own head. And on the other hand, I am a performer.
'''A Real Pain''' which is actually seeking distribution at the festival, is both funny and profound in an odd couple trip and also an exploration of ideas of a modern pain in the face during the historical family traumas act.
Nevertheless, Eisenberg has been wanting to set up a great movie in Poland for about 18 years back. The first play of scene in which he wrote was about a self-centered young American who got to Poland to stay with his cousin, a survivor during the war, and took advantage of a free room in an exotic locale. It was based in part on an experience he’d actually had. On stage, Vanessa Redgrave played his cousin.