(NEXSTAR) — Jesse Eisenberg, who rose to fame in college-aged films like "Zombieland" and "The Social Network," is now over 40 and questioning a lot things. At least that's some of what's at the center of his multi-layered and meditative sophomore directorial project, "A Real Pain." The comedic drama, also written by Eisenberg, follows cousins David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin, "Succession"), who reunite for a pilgrimage to their recently deceased grandmother's pre-Holocaust home in Poland. The once-inseparable cousins have grown distant as life taken them in very different directions. Theatrical poster for "A Real Pain," starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin. Eisenberg serves as director, writer, and producer, as well (Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures) Rewatching ‘Gilmore Girls’ for fall? Here’s why it’s the perfect autumn show While David is a successful tech worker with a family, Benji is unemployed (and not looking), living with his mom and stuck inside grief over his grandmother's death. As the men reunite — their first reunion since they've evolved from "boys" to "men" — each cousin is faced with what they don't like about the other, and themselves. Pragmatic David has incorporated a Holocaust tour into the Poland trip, though he soon realizes including his unpredictable but magnetic cousin along may have been a mistake. As the pair move through Poland (joined by a delightful group of fellow tourists), both audience and characters are taken on a journey though the Polish Jews' harrowing history. You'd expect the film to feel heavier than it does but Eisenberg's well-calibrated script keeps "A Real Pain" from ever steering too far away from its humorous heart. The concept of humor as coping mechanism is both discussed and displayed throughout the film, as we learn how both David and Benji laugh away or ignore their own pain. On a deeper level, the film asks: What do you do with your history — and how do you live with it? How do you go on living without the people and the places you've loved and that make you you? The feelings "A Real Pain" evokes will likely hit millennials like a (gentle) punch to the gut. Like David and Benji, we find ourselves at a point of personal reflection. For millions of us, midlife beckons and it's time to make start making sense of the scars we've gotten along the way. Moreover, what can be learned from the tenacity of those who are gone? LeBron James, Jeff Bezos and more react to Trump’s election win As we continue to live in "unprecedented times," it's important to look at those who fought back and those who survived the unthinkable. The world is still reeling from a global pandemic, from climate dangers, and from political animus. None of us want to be living through history but we're here. What are we going to do? "A Real Pain" features charming performances from Jennifer Grey ("Dirty Dancing") and Will Sharpe ("The White Lotus"), among others. Eisenberg and Culkin, meanwhile, dazzle and devastate in equal measure. It wouldn't be a surprise for Culkin, especially, to be in award conversations. All-in-All, Eisenberg's second directorial effort is a moving and successful work that hints at a still-fledgling filmmaker with exceptional emotional depth and an eye for the extraordinariness of the ordinary. "A Real Pain" is currently in limited theatrical release. SCORE: ★★★☆☆