Succession star Kieran Culkin and The Social Network actor Jesse Eisenberg have appeared on the red carpet of the London Film Festival to promote their latest film.
A Real Pain, which will be released in UK cinemas on January 10, follows the tale of two cousins who embark on a trip to Poland following the death of their grandmother, a Jewish woman who made a life for herself in the United States after escaping the Holocaust.
Culkin – the younger brother of Home Alone star Macauley – won a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy for his role as Roman Roy in black comedy drama Succession, while Oscar-nominated actor Eisenberg has starred in films including Now You See Me and To Rome With Love. Eisenberg also served as producer (alongside Emma Stone), writer and director for the film.
On screen, the cousins couldn’t be more different: David (Eisenberg) is a clever family man, while Beni (Culkin) is unruly and spontaneous. The comedy drama’s plot follows them on a journey, both of Poland and the emotional rollercoaster of grief.
Speaking with Interview magazine, Culkin revealed that he initially turned down the film after wanting a break from his Success schedule, but that Eisenberg’s “beautiful script” convinced him to take the role.
Meanwhile, Eisenberg said that working with the 42-year-old was an eye-opening experience. “I really don’t like improv, but Kieran is such an unusual performer,” he told Esquire. “He would say things that deviated from the script, and a lot of times they were just better.”
The film, which also features Will Sharpe (The White Lotus) and Dirty Dancing’s Jennifer Grey, made its UK premiere at the festival on Sunday, which was hosted at the Royal Festival Hall.
Since premiering at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, the film has won rave reviews from critics for its emotional yet comedic storyline, with Deadline Hollywood describing Culkin’s performance as a “career high”.
