I feel the title of the movie takes on different meaning as we progress through the film. At the beginning you are led to believe that the real pain is more external, in other words, Benji being a real pain for David. As the movie continues you start to realize that the real pain may not be so much externally but rather internally for both characters.  It was interesting to watch the relationship dynamic between the two characters due to the collision of their vastly different personalities. In a way they both had something that the other one is envious of whether that be a free spirit and outgoing personality or a life that is put together and one you are proud of. I feel at the end of the day they both taught each other something and saved each other in some sort of way. They left each other with a new perspective on the world around them, or at least it is assumed due to the fact the ending for both characters was in a sense ambiguous and left up to audience imagination, especially for Benji. A Real Pain shows, as I mentioned before, 'opposites attract' and that you can still have a deeply rooted connection and love for one another regardless of how similar you think or act. The difference between these two characters and how they come together is part of what makes them so lovable. 

                 There is also an important representation of mental health regarding both of these characters and how they approach them. In terms of Culkin's character Benji who is struggling in a lot of different ways in terms of his mental health, while I do think he tends to keep his feelings bottled up and masked to the point it causes destructive behavior, I also feel it is more than that. He suffers from depression which is implied and I believe mentioned and this movie shows the audience how that can be a struggle for, most importantly, that person, especially if they are like Benji who is always trying to hide behind a smile or a laugh, but also those around them. It is worse at the beginning of the movie due to Benji's distance from a lot of people in his life including David but as the movie progresses while that sort of thing never goes away, it does get better as he begins to realize he is not alone and that there are people who love him. I watched an interview where the mental illness Bipolar was brought into question due to his very high highs and very low lows. Eisenberg's character David, we learn, has a lot of problems that have to do with anxiety as well as OCD. I feel David's mental health battle was more of an individual and internal one but I think that Benji, while giving David a run for his money, ultimately helped David to loosen up a little and to not take life so seriously. 

                 By the end of the movie they both discover how much they not only needed this trip but also how much they needed time with each other. As someone who struggles heavily with anxiety it feels nice to have representation through Eisenberg's character David. I can empathize with David's longing to be more outgoing and find myself as well wishing I did not let anxiety control so much of me. 


                 This movie will make you emotional, laugh, and smile all at the same time. The two different approaches these actors take to their characters individually as well as together and also the approach they each take to the story is beautiful to watch and I hope to see more of them together in the future. Being someone who has dealt with these types of mental health battles in one way or another throughout my lifetime I truly appreciate the representation from both of these actors and their characters.