Suspense is building for theOscarsseason this year. In a different world, the nominations would have been announced by now, on the morning of January 17. The devastatingly destructive fires in California have disrupted this plan, forcing the Academy to extend the voting window and push the nomination announcement twice. As such, awards audiences and industry professionals will have to wait another week to see what is incontention for Best Pictureand other major awards. Films expected to beat the top of the heap includeAnora,The Brutalist,Emilia Pérez, andWicked.
In addition to the Best Picture race, the acting categories are competitive this year, including Best Supporting Actor.Multi-time nominee Denzel Washingtonmight be up forGladiator II, while newcomer and formerly incarcerated actor Clarence Maclin may be up for his semi-autobiographical performance inSing Sing. Emmy winner Kieran Culkin may also be nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and the movie he is in is now a huge success on its streaming platform.
A Real Pain Is Dominating The Hulu Charts
It Was Added On January 16
A Real Painis a huge streaming success just one day after being added to Hulu. Following the story of two cousins who go on a trip to Poland to explore their Jewish heritage and the horrific history of the Holocaust, the drama movie takes a tragic subject and puts a comedic spin on it. Jesse Eisenberg plays quadruple duty for the film, writing, directing, producing, and starring, whileCulkin plays his depressed and feisty cousin Benji.A Real Painreceived rave reviews, receiving a 96% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, and is in conversation for multiple Oscars.
ScreenRant’s Mae Abdulbaki gaveA Real Pain6 out of 10 stars, noting “the film is a family dramedy more than anything, and it manages to handle the complicated relationship between David and Benji with thought and reflection.”
A Real Painhasmade its way onto the Hulu charts, placing no. 2 moviein the United States today (January 17). This is just one day after it was added to the platform on January 16. The movie also managed to make it to no. 7 on Hulu’s overall charts, which includes both movies and TV.
Our Take On A Real Pain’s Hulu Domination
This Is Perfectly Timed For Oscar Voting
A Real Pain’s Hulu success comes at a critical time for the film. The Oscar nomination delay is directly tied to the extension of the voting window, which ends today, January 17, at 5 pm PST (8 pm EST). While the nominees should theoretically be selected based on merit alone, name recognition is a huge factor in these awards and could help a movie likeA Real Painget the final push it needs in categories such as Original Screenplay, where it may be more of a dark horse.
A Real Pain Cast & Character Guide: Who Stars Alongside Kieran Culkin & Jesse Eisenberg
Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin lead a great ensemble cast of tourists traveling through Poland in the acclaimed comedy-drama A Real Pain.
Nevertheless, the strongOscarcontention is no small discord becauseA Real Painis a great movie. A key reason for this is Culkin’s performance, who brings a perfect blend of dramatics and humor as his character copes on his journey with his cousin. It’s different from his previous award-winning performance as Roman Roy inSuccession, proving that Culkin is one of the most versatile actors in the industry today, and he is finally getting his due.
A Real Pain
Cast
A Real Pain explores themes of identity and loss as two estranged families confront their shared and tumultuous pasts. Through intertwining narratives, the film delves into the complexities of familial relationships and the enduring impact of unresolved grief.
