'A Real Pain' Streaming and Release Details — From Benji’s Story to Oscar Nominations

There’s something magnetic about watching an actor you know step behind the camera. Jesse Eisenberg not only directs A Real Pain but also stars in it, and his vision feels both intimate and wry.

Yet it’s Kieran Culkin who steals the spotlight. His turn as Benji is jagged, funny, and painfully moving — the kind of performance that makes you squirm and laugh in the same breath. No surprise it earned him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

What the Film Is About

The story follows two cousins, David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin), on a heritage tour through Poland after their grandmother’s death. David craves order, while Benji is restless, irreverent, and bursting with unresolved pain.

Their journey shifts from awkward comedy to something more piercing: a meditation on grief, family, and how hard it is to truly connect. Benji’s unraveling becomes the emotional thread of the film — his chaos exposing the fragility beneath the surface.

Release and Streaming Details

A Real Pain premiered at Sundance 2024, where Eisenberg won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. It opened in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2024, expanded on November 15, and reached the UK on January 8, 2025.

For home viewing, it arrived on digital platforms on December 31, 2024, with DVD and Blu-ray following on February 4, 2025. Streaming audiences got access on Hulu from January 16, 2025, and via Disney+ in international markets.

What Makes It Worth the Watch

This isn’t just another indie drama. Eisenberg’s writing blends sharp humor with bruising honesty, capturing how grief and family tension often blur into absurdity. Culkin’s Benji — volatile but deeply human — grounds the film in something raw and unforgettable.

Add to that its spot on the AFI and National Board of Review Top Ten Films of 2024, and an Oscar nomination for Eisenberg’s screenplay, and you’ve got a film that lingers long after the credits.