A Real Pain

As its title suggests, A Real Pain can get pretty uncomfortable, for moviegoers almost as much as its characters — but in a good way.

This heartfelt directorial effort from actor Jesse Eisenberg is thematically rich and obviously personal, given its semiautobiographical roots. It’s a slight yet affecting look at fragile family bonds and the ways in which we process subconscious guilt and grief, handled with subtle humor and grace.

Eisenberg stars as David, who plans a trip from New York to Poland to honor his late grandmother, a Holocaust survivor who long ago emigrated from her homeland, and persuades his somewhat estranged cousin, Benji (Kieran Culkin), to accompany him.

From the moment they meet at the airport, their personalities clash, with David a control freak and Benji an unfiltered socializer. Eventually, they meet up with a group in Warsaw for a tour, with later plans to see the remnants of a concentration camp, and eventually find their matriarch’s childhood home to leave a tribute.

Naturally, there are complications almost from the get-go, thanks in part to some awkwardness involving an enthusiastic British tour guide (Will Sharpe), a Jewish divorcee (Jennifer Grey) in the tour party, and other quirky acquaintances.

However, as David becomes overwhelmed by his insecurities and neuroses, Benji seems to enjoy maximizing David’s emotional distress with his impulsive outbursts. For both, it’s likely the passive-aggressive sparring is a coping mechanism for a painful family legacy.

In particular, Benji masks his anguish through his unapologetically confrontational antics. Still, they eventually strive to find common ground and catharsis.

Eisenberg and Culkin establish an amusing odd-couple chemistry that goes deeper than surface eccentricities and cringeworthy confrontations. Culkin (“Succession”) wonderfully blends sorrow with sarcasm in a portrayal overflowing with freewheeling energy.

While the uneven screenplay bogs down in bickering, it efficiently modulates its tones through perceptive character dynamics. As it balances humor with poignancy, the performances generate hard-earned sympathy without becoming didactic or heavy-handed.

Along the way, A Real Pain is an affectionate showcase for a country whose physical beauty still conceals a traumatic past. Perhaps its roots are in fish-out-of-water buddy comedy, but it distinguishes itself enough to resonate beyond borders.

Rated R, 89 minutes.