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Written by: Jesse Eisenberg
Directed by: Jesse Eisenberg
Starring: Kieran Culkin, Jesse Eisenberg, Jennifer Grey
Rated: R
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Plot
Mismatched cousins reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, but their old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Verdict
Endearing in its simplicity, two cousins address grief and drifting apart. They couldn't be more different, and their coping methods are also distinct. This trip is a contrast between two people grieving set against the backdrop of history and a loss of global proportions. The two leads play to their type and the performances get a boost because of it. Not every relationship can be fixed in the span of a movie, and I like how this ends.
Watch it.
Review
It's clear from the beginning that David (Jesse Eisenberg) is high strung as he calls his cousin Benji (Kieran Culkin) multiple times en route to the airport. David is concerned Benji will be late, but while very laid back Benji arrived first. They're complete opposites and both actors are playing to their usual type, Eisenberg as anxious and introverted and Culkin as outgoing and outspoken. Benji can be up and down. At times he's gregarious and making sure the entire group is having fun while David is the reluctant one. Other times Benji is withdrawn and isolated as David makes apologies.
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| Kieran Culkin, Jesse Eisenberg play Benji, David |
They're both grieving their grandmother; she's the reason they're on this trip. The two men were close when younger, but Benji criticizes David for losing his passion. Benji can be thoughtless, while David is prone to worry. One night on the trip Benji disappears and David stays up all night worrying. Benji shows up to the group tour the next morning like nothing happened, angering David.
Not only do we have two cousins that have drifted apart, but they're grieving their grandmother on this tour of Poland. We see their personality differences without the need for exposition. The tension breaks towards the end with David admitting he wants to be like Benji, admiring his energy while admitting they aren't as close. Setting this in Poland frames their loss against the backdrop of the German led genocide during World War II. It's a way to channel their grief.
This doesn't end with the two of them reconciling and becoming best friends again. What happens feels more realistic as one trip can't fix all problems. At the end David returns to his family as we leave Benji alone in the airport where we first met him.
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