Review of A Real Pain: A Journey Through Grief, Growth, and Color
A Real Pain (2024) is a poignant exploration of family, grief, and identity, following two estranged cousins, David and Benji, as they embark on a trip to Poland to honor their late grandmother. Directed with a delicate balance of humor and melancholy, the film delves into the tensions and contrasts between the two leads—David, quiet and introspective, and Benji, loud and impulsive. Their journey is not just a physical one through historical landscapes but an emotional one as they confront their differences, personal wounds, and the weight of their shared past.
From the very first scene, the film establishes a stark contrast between its protagonists—not just in their personalities but in how they are visually presented. David is dressed in deep navy blue, a color that underscores his reserved, structured nature, while Benji wears maroon red, a shade that signals his fiery, unfiltered energy. These choices extend beyond wardrobe and into the film’s cinematography, with David often framed in cooler, controlled compositions and Benji in warm, restless environments. Their color-coded dynamic reinforces the emotional distance between them, making their gradual transformation even more powerful.
As they navigate their grandmother’s history and their own fractured bond, their emotional arcs unfold with subtle but profound changes. David learns to loosen his grip on control, embracing spontaneity and connection, while Benji, often the one deflecting pain with humor, gains a newfound depth of introspection. This shift is not only felt in their performances but visually represented in one of the film’s most striking moments—on the final day of their trip, their colors switch. David wears maroon, now carrying some of Benji’s openness, and Benji dons navy blue, showing a new sense of restraint and contemplation. It’s a simple yet deeply effective way of illustrating their growth, using color as an emotional bridge between who they were and who they have become.
Beyond its character study, A Real Pain also uses its Polish setting to add texture and weight to its themes. The muted, wintry tones of the landscape contrast with the vibrancy of the cousins’ evolving dynamic, reinforcing the idea that personal transformation can happen even in the face of history and loss. The film doesn’t offer easy resolutions, but it does leave us with a sense of quiet hope—captured in the way color, composition, and performance all work in harmony to tell a story of understanding, change, and the complicated ties that bind us.
