51st Telluride Film Festival Day Two: A Real Pain, The End, and Saturday Night

I began Day Two at the Telluride Film Festival with Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain, a deeply personal and wildly hilarious odd-couple road trip film that was profoundly moving. Eisenberg, who wrote and directed this gem, brings a unique touch to the story, portraying David Kaplan, a neurotic and successful family man. His cousin, Benji, played by Kieran Culkin, is his polar opposite – aloof, charming, and effortlessly magnetic in a life he never takes too seriously. Though they grew up like brothers, life’s twists and turns have driven them apart. The death of their beloved grandmother reunites them, setting the stage for a poignant heritage trip to Poland to explore their Jewish roots.

Their journey is a rollercoaster of emotions, navigating the beautiful landscapes of their ancestral land and the haunting Holocaust camps near their grandmother’s old town. As they grapple with the emotional weight of their visit, buried feelings from their past surface, demanding that they confront and work through them together. The healing process is enriched by a stellar supporting cast, including Will Sharpe as their insightful tour guide, Jennifer Grey as a recent divorcee, Lisa Sadovy and Daniel Oreskes as an older couple, and Kurt Egyiawan, a Rwandan genocide survivor who has recently converted to Judaism. Their interactions create a dynamic that feels like group therapy on the go, revealing the deep-seated resentments between David and Benji. Their performances are captivating, providing the emotional core that makes A Real Pain such a powerful and life-affirming story.

Eisenberg’s 2022 directorial debut, When You Finish Saving the World, may not have hit the mark as he hoped, but A Real Pain showcases his remarkable growth as a filmmaker. His script is one of the year’s finest, and he’s making the transition from actor to director look effortless. The film’s script is a standout contender for Original Screenplay, deserving of recognition.

Kieran Culkin delivers a mesmerizing performance from start to finish. His laid-back demeanor, combined with his undeniable charisma, contrasts sharply with the deep-seated pain he conveys through his eyes. Culkin’s portrayal of Benji – someone who seeks to embrace life fully while yearning for his cousin to reconnect with his emotional core – might be my favorite performance of the year. Despite being a co-lead, there’s a strong case for him in the Supporting Actor category, where he could prove nearly unbeatable.

A Real Pain is a beautifully crafted emotional journey cloaked in sharp, witty humor. I adored this film and cannot wait to see it again.

If you reverse how I felt about A Real Pain, you’ll find my reaction to Joshua Oppenheimer’s The End, featuring Tilda Swinton, Michael Shannon, George MacKay, and Moses Ingram. Despite the stellar cast, this post-apocalyptic, Golden-age musical falls flat. The musical numbers blend together into a monotonous blur, and while Moses Ingram’s performance stands out, the overall singing falls short. The story’s message, which feels like a tired rehash of themes we’ve been inundated with recently, fails to make any sort of impact. Unfortunately, the film just didn’t resonate on any level.

I wrapped up Day Two with the World Premiere of Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, a film that dives into the tumultuous 90 minutes leading up to the 1975 premiere of Saturday Night Live. Reitman brilliantly captures the chaotic frenzy behind the scenes as a ragtag group of young, untested comedians attempts to make television history. The film vividly portrays the turmoil – ranging from John Belushi’s volatile behavior and the lighting crew walking off just before the live broadcast, to Chevy Chase’s dick-measuring antics with Milton Berle. The fact that the show went live at all feels nothing short of miraculous.

Before the screening, Reitman shared his personal connection to the project, recounting his childhood dreams of directing films and writing for SNL. Lorne Michaels made the latter dream a reality, allowing Reitman to write an episode and experience the adrenaline-fueled rush of that 90-minute countdown firsthand. Reitman was determined to capture that electric feeling in his movie, and he meticulously interviewed everyone involved that opening night – actors, pages, band members, and writers – to blend their memories into the film. The evening also featured a heartfelt introduction from legendary SNL alum Bill Murray, who received a standing ovation from the Telluride audience. Murray praised the cast and underscored the film’s significance, though he had to dash off to introduce his own film, The Friend, co-starring Naomi Watts, at another venue.

Saturday Night is a whirlwind of a film and a resounding triumph of stellar writing, acting, editing, and directing. It is absolutely hilarious and a thrilling experience. Saturday Night stands as the best work of Jason Reitman’s career, surpassing even Up in the Air and Thank You for Smoking. The Telluride audience responded with enthusiastic acclaim, and I’m confident that audiences everywhere will embrace this film with the same fervor.