Agents of SHIELD‘s Clark Gregg and This Is Us‘ Susan Kelechi Watson guest star in the much-anticipated season two premiere of ABC’s Will Trent. Season two episode one will air on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT.
Ramón Rodríguez leads the cast in the title role, with Erika Christensen returning as Angie Polaski and Iantha Richardson starring as Faith Mitchell. Jake McLaughlin plays Michael Ormewood and Sonja Sohn is Amanda Wagner.
“Me Llamo Will Trent” Plot: Embracing his family’s past, pushing feelings of grief to the wayside, and fueled by determination, Special Agent Will Trent charges into a web of intrigue to solve a new batch of cases. A detonated car bomb ignites a thrilling investigation, revealing more to the story than meets the eye. Partnering with bomb expert Cricket, they pursue the elusive bomber, setting the stage for unexpected romance.
Meanwhile, Angie fights to return to work, Ormewood’s home situation complicates, and Faith worries about taking things to the next level with crime reporter Luke.
Ramon Rodriguez and Iantha Richardson in ‘Will Trent’ season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)
Series Description, Courtesy of ABC:
Based on Karin Slaughter’s New York Times bestselling Will Trent series, Special Agent Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system. Now, Will uses his unique point of view in the pursuit of justice and has the highest clearance rate in the GBI.
Jake McLaughlin, Kevin Daniels, and Susan Kelechi Watson in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)Ramon Rodriguez in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)Iantha Richardson, Ramon Rodriguez and Clark Gregg in the season 2 premiere (Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)Jake McLaughlin and Erika Christensen in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)Susan Kelechi Watson in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)Ramon Rodriguez in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)
Josh McKenzie as Lucas in ‘La Brea’ season 3 episode 5 (Photo by: NBC)
All right, La Brea viewers…we have now arrived at season three episode five – otherwise known as the series’ penultimate episode. The two-part season/series finale begins with Gavin (Eoin Macken) pondering what to do with the microchip while visiting what will be, in 10,000 years, Eve’s favorite spot. Ty (Chiké Okonkwo) reminds him they need to trade it for Eve, but they admit to being worried about whoever is sending them the messages on the laptop.
Ty’s also worried that something happened to Paara since she’s overdue on returning from her trip. Both men pledge not to stop trying until they get their families back.
Izzy (Zyra Gorecki) confesses to Veronica (Lily Santiago) that she’s worried about her relationship with Leyla after turning down an offer to go stargazing. Fortunately, that conversation is cut short when her dad has her join him and Ty to look at a new message that just popped up. (Love the Izzy/Leyla thing, but there’s no time for that storyline right now.) Gavin’s instructed to bring the chip to Cahuenga Peak in exchange for Eve. The connection ends before he can get assurance Eve’s alive.
Maya (Claudia Ware) pops in and thinks it’s good news. Gavin calls a time-out and wants a very specific 10-minute window to think about it.
Sam (Jon Seda) finds Lucas (Josh McKenzie) out in the woods and warns him not to storm the base alone to retrieve Scott. It turns out Lucas was actually just visiting his mom’s grave. Way to jump to conclusions, Sam! Before Sam leaves him to commune with his mom, Lucas wonders if he thinks it’s all a little too coincidental that Scott, Petra, and Levi just happened to have been found by these people and taken. Come on, it was the middle of a fire and they found Scott?! (Lucas, dude, we are right there with you on this one!)
Lucas suggests there’s a mole feeding the soldiers information. Sam doesn’t think that’s a crazy theory and says he’ll help him figure things out when he gets back to the fort.
Gavin’s 10-minute break is interrupted by the unexpected appearance of Maya. She wants to help him make the trade, but Gavin announces he’s going to destroy the microchip. It’s too powerful and too dangerous.
Maya pulls a gun on him as he walks off. She reveals the chip is hers and she’s taking it back. Sam and Ty walk up at just that moment – Sam with his gun out and Ty surprising Maya from the opposite side and disarming her. They demand she hand over her backpack and Gavin confirms he knew it was her when she showed up seconds after the chat ended. He orders her to say where Eve’s being held.
Maya refuses and reveals she has the upper hand. Her watch is a tracking device…and just as they realize what that means, a voice screams, “Nobody move!” Sam, Ty, and Gavin are surrounded by soldiers and Maya simply takes the microchip from Gavin’s pocket.
Chiké Okonkwo as Ty, Eoin Macken as Gavin, and Jon Seda as Dr. Sam in ‘La Brea’ season 3 episode 5 (Photo by: Mark Taylor/NBC)
Oh, but hold on! Shots ring out and the soldiers begin falling. However, Maya and two soldiers get away and drive off in a Jeep. Gavin’s savior? His sister Helena. Wait, how does he recognize her? He didn’t know her in 2016 before he fell through the sinkhole. Ty’s met her but 10,000 BC Gavin wouldn’t recognize her face and it’s unlikely he gave Gavin a full description of her.
Helena followed Ty through the aurora, and she’s super pissed they let Maya have the chip. It turns out Maya leads a private security company and was contracted by the military to build time-traveling fighter planes. No one knows her real plan – except, apparently, Helena – is to sell the planes to the highest bidder. They need to stop her now!
Also, Helena is really angry with Gavin because he always disappoints her.
Back at the fort, a rock falls off a tray Veronica’s carrying in the council hut, and the sound it makes when it hits the floor draws her attention. She discovers a trap door and pulls out the case it’s covering. Inside is a radio for contacting the Ladera Air Base. She immediately tells Lucas what she found, and they both realize Maya isn’t their only problem. Only members of the council use the hut.
Veronica will try and figure out the spy during the council meeting, which is just getting underway.
The council takes a vote on whether to let the refugees continue to stay at the fort. Veronica understands their concern and shows them the case containing the Ladera Air Base radio. Ruth suggests they take a break and return to the table with clear heads. (If that’s not suspicious, I don’t know what is.)
Veronica goes looking for Ruth and Lucas reveals she left the fort for an “emergency diplomatic meeting” with another tribe. Veronica and Lucas decide to track her down since if it walks like a duck, it is a duck.
Leyla and Izzy go on a walk and wind up finding the dead soldiers. Leyla says she’s an excellent tracker and assures Izzy she’ll help her find her dad who she just assumes was walking this direction.
Meanwhile, Scott (Rohan Mirchandaney) and Levi (Nicholas Gonzalez) are locked up in cells at the Ladera Air Base. Levi reveals they keep asking him about Gavin and a microchip. And Scott fills Levi in on Maya being a dirty, rotten traitor. Levi suggests that Scott give them what they want – more details on a plant he wrote about in a research paper – but Scott has nothing left to say about it. (He was high when he wrote the paper.)
Maya and the soldiers arrive at the base and she hands off the microchip to have it taken to the lab. She then meets with Scott’s interrogator – Levi. Yes, you read that correctly. Levi is working with Maya and the soldiers.
When Levi enters Scott’s cell, Scott immediately assumes he’s a spy since he’s in their uniform and has one of their tattoos on his arm. But Levi insists that he found out about Maya and the bases all throughout time, and that he joined up so he could get back to 10,000 BC and find James. Maya still believes he’s on their side, but Levi tries to convince Scott he’s pulling the whole secret double agent switcheroo thing and is still the old Levi and not a bad guy.
Levi reveals the fossilized plants Scott studied are the key to making Maya’s time travel work. Scott insists he didn’t show the paper to anyone else. Levi slips into bad guy mode when Maya joins them and says he’s certain Scott told someone about the paper, even if he keeps claiming he didn’t.
Maya wants to be queen of all time travel, so she needs to be the only person with the knowledge Scott possesses. Rather than get punched in the face by Levi (who sort of winks at him), he now claims he told some people. Scott won’t say the names and Maya orders Levi to punch him in the stomach.
Since Scott won’t talk, Levi suggests they move him to a long-term detention facility. Maya says she’ll arrange it. When she walks away, Levi tells Scott that he acted perfectly.
A scene from ‘La Brea’ season 3 episode 5 (Photo by: NBC)
Elsewhere, Gavin, Helena, Ty, and Sam float down a river on a raft since it’s quicker than walking to the base. (The scene shows them floating at a slug’s pace, which doesn’t make any sense.) Helena uses the time to fill Gavin in on their shared history, explaining they made a pact to leave the country and head to Mexico. However, he backed out of their plans and let her take the heat for stealing the microchip.
Gavin had his family; Helena had no one.
And now the Scooby Squad has a new problem – a prehistoric alligator twice the size of their raft. It knocks Helena into the water and then pulls her under, so Gavin puts a knife between his teeth and jumps in to save her. They both swim back to the boat with the alligator on their tails. Sam lets loose with a hail of bullets from one of the dead soldier’s rifles and the alligator screams in pain. It finally stops its charge and sinks.
They make it back to safe ground and keep walking to the base. Gavin promises when it’s over, he’ll finally introduce Helena to his family. They spot tire marks but don’t spot a surveillance camera in a nearby tree.
Back near the fort, Lucas and Veronica catch up with Ruth, and she insists she has her reasons for working with the base. Veronica realizes she’s covering for someone.
Leyla stops following footsteps and heads to her initial destination. Once she gets there, she’s upset the aurora to Izzy’s time isn’t there like she was promised. Izzy’s totally confused and insists running away isn’t the answer.
Ruth, Veronica, and Lucas show up just as Izzy asks Leyla who told her about the aurora’s location. Ruth says Maya did and that she’s lied about everything. Oh, so it’s Leyla who’s been using the radio and spilling the beans to Maya – not her mom, Ruth.
Lucas wants to use the radio to spy on the base, and Leyla confirms she knows the code to turn it on. Once it’s on, they learn a team has been sent to take out Ty, Sam, Helena, and Gavin.
Levi and two other soldiers escort Scott to the other detention center. Levi’s seen Eve there and wants to make everything right. Izzy runs into a clearing nearby, sees Levi, and one of the soldiers reacts by pulling his gun and getting ready to shoot her. Levi jumps him while Scott fights the other soldier. Scott’s about to get stabbed in the face when Lucas clobbers the soldier with a branch to the head.
Izzy asks about her dad, but Levi was unaware that Gavin is nearby. He makes Izzy stay behind and heads off to save Gavin. Levi spots the soldiers ready to ambush Gavin’s foursome and manages to shoot a few. Sam and Helena join the firefight and all but one soldier is killed.
Unfortunately, the one still alive shoots Levi in the chest just as Izzy shoots the soldier with her bow and arrow. Sam and the group rush to help Levi, and Sam announces it’s a gut shot. The wound won’t stop bleeding, and Levi’s on the verge of death when Gavin asks for a minute alone with him. Levi and Izzy exchange goodbyes as Levi says Eve’s in the long-term detention center. Levi knows he’s dying and says he made peace with everything but Gavin. Gavin calls him his brother and Levi says, “Brothers till the end,” and then passes away.
They all take a minute to acknowledge Levi’s death, and then Sam suggests they need to get to Eve quickly before reinforcements arrive.
As they get closer to the detention facility, a double aurora appears in front of them. They realize the directions on the map says “red” where the detention center should be. They figure out the detention center is in 1965 and so are Josh and Riley. Helena says it makes sense since Maya has an operation in 1965 with a detention area.
Helena tells her brother to destroy Maya’s infrastructure in ’65 and then volunteers to come with him.
Season three episode five ends with Izzy, Sam, Helena, and Gavin stepping through the aurora. Only Scott remains behind.
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (played by Emmy Award winner Tobias Menzies) promises First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln he will hunt down her husband’s killer in the official trailer for Apple TV+’s’ Manhunt. The true crime limited series is based on James L. Swanson’s bestseller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer and will premiere on March 15, 2024 with the release of episodes one and two.
The seven-episode series stars Hamish Linklater (Midnight Mass), Anthony Boyle (Masters of the Air), Lovie Simone (Greenleaf), and Will Harrison (Daisy Jones & The Six). Brandon Flynn (13 Reasons Why), Damian O’Hare (Hatfields & McCoys), Glenn Morshower (The Resident), Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio), and Matt Walsh (Veep) also star.
Created by Emmy, Golden Globe, PGA, and WGA-nominated writer/producer Monica Beletsky, Manhunt “is a conspiracy thriller about one of the best known but least understood crimes in history, the astonishing story of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth in the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.”
Beletsky serves as showrunner and executive producer. Additional executive producers include author James L. Swanson, Layne Eskridge, Kate Barry, Michael Rotenberg, Richard Abate, Frank Smith, and Naia Cucukov. Two-time Emmy nominee Carl Franklin (Monster, House of Cards) executive produces and directed the first two episodes.
Filming’s currently underway on Taylor Sheridan’s latest drama, Landman, starring Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton (Sling Blade). The new drama, set in West Texas, joins Sheridan’s roster of projects at Paramount+ that includes Mayor of Kingstown, 1883, 1923, Special Ops: Lioness, Tulsa King, and Lawmen: Bass Reeves. (Sheridan’s Yellowstone is on Paramount Network.)
Joining Billy Bob Thornton are Ali Larter (The Rookie), Michelle Randolph (1923), and Jacob Lofland (Joker 2). Kayla Wallace (When Calls the Heart), James Jordan (Yellowstone), Mark Collie (Nashville), and Paulina Chávez (The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia) also star.
“Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Landman is a modern-day tale of fortune-seeking in the world of oil rigs,” reads Paramount+’s synopsis. “Based on the notable 11-part podcast ‘Boomtown,’ the series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.”
Sheridan and Christian Wallace co-created the series and serve as executive producers. David C. Glasser, David Hutkin, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Friedman, and Stephen Kay also executive produce.
Additionally, Imperative Development LLC’s Dan Friedkin and Jason Hoch and Texas Monthly’s J.K. Nickell and Megan Creydt serve as executive producers. The series is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, and Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions.
Paramount+ hasn’t set a targeted premiere date.
Billy Bob Thornton’s recent credits include Devil’s Creek, The Gray Man, Goliath, London Fields, and Fargo season one.
Season two of Interview with the Vampire has set a May 12, 2024 premiere date, with new episodes of the eight-episode season airing on Sundays on AMC and AMC+. David Costabile (Billions) has joined the cast in a guest-starring role as Leonard, a character described as a seasoned TV personality who has a run-in with Molloy.
Returning season one stars include Jacob Anderson as Louis de Pointe du Lac, Sam Reid as Lestat de Lioncourt, and Eric Bogosian as Daniel Molloy. Assad Zaman returns as Armand, Ben Daniels is Santiago, and Delainey Hayles takes over the role of Claudia.
Roxane Duran (The White Ribbon) recur as Madeleine, and Bally Gill (Slow Horses) recurs as Real Rashid in the upcoming season.
“In Interview’s eight-episode second season, which wrapped production last year in Prague, Paris and New Orleans, the interview continues. In the year 2022, the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac recounts his life story to journalist Daniel Molloy. Picking up from the bloody events in New Orleans in 1940 when Louis and teen fledgling Claudia conspired to kill the Vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, Louis tells of his adventures in Europe, a quest to discover Old World Vampires and the Theatre Des Vampires in Paris, with Claudia,” reads AMC’s synopsis. “It is in Paris that Louis first meets the vampire Armand. Their courtship and love affair will prove to have devastating consequences both in the past and in the future, and Molloy will probe to get to the truths buried within the memories.”
The popular adaptation of Anne Rice’s bestselling books is executive produced by Mark Johnson, Rolin Jones, Mark Taylor, Christopher Rice, and the late Anne Rice. Jones guides the series as showrunner.
Sam Reid as Lestat De Lioncourt in ‘Interview with the Vampire’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Larry Horricks/AMC)
Commenting on the Anne Rice Immortal Universe, president of entertainment and AMC Studios at AMC Networks Dan McDermott said, “The beloved world created by Anne Rice continues to be a vast and exciting source of story and character for us to explore, develop and bring to life on screen. We look forward to sharing second seasons of both Interview and Mayfair, two visually stunning productions that feature exciting new elements from Rice’s novels, with an audience and fanbase that have embraced these series and unforgettable characters from the beginning.
Beyond the existing shows, we’re actively developing a potential third series in this expanding franchise, with the incomparable John Lee Hancock crafting a story based on Rice’s captivating Talamasca society.”
Jacob Anderson as Louis De Point Du Lac and Delainey Hayles as Claudia in season 2 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Larry Horricks/AMC)Assad Zaman as Armand in season 2 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Larry Horricks/AMC)Eric Bogosian in season 2 (Photo Credit: AMC)Sam Reid as Lestat De Lioncourt in season 2 episode 7 (Photo Credit: Larry Horricks/AMC)
Christina Elmore, Melissa Benoist, Carla Gugino, and Natasha Behnam in ‘The Girls on the Bus’ (Photograph by Nicole Rivelli/Max)
Max has set a March 14, 2024 premiere date for the original drama series The Girls on the Bus, inspired by series co-creator Amy Chozick’s time spent as a political reporter. The first two episodes will air on March 14th, followed by new episodes on Thursdays.
The launch date announcement was accompanied by the first photos from the 10-episode season. The photos feature the series’ stars Melissa Benoist (Supergirl) as Sadie McCarthy, Carla Gugino (The Fall of the House of Usher) as Grace, Natasha Behnam (American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules) as Lola, and Christina Elmore (Insecure) as Kimberlyn. We also get our first look at Scott Foley and Brandon Scott.
Additional season one stars not pictured include Griffin Dunne and Mark Consuelos.
Melissa Benoist and Carla Gugino (Photograph by Nicole Rivelli/Max)
“The Girls on the Bus invites viewers to hit the campaign trail alongside four female journalists, each of them different in their reporting styles and personalities. The story centers on Sadie McCarthy (Benoist), a journalist who romanticizes a bygone era of campaign reporting and scraps her whole life for a shot at covering a presidential candidate for a paper of record,” reads Max’s official synopsis. “Sadie joins the bus and eventually bonds with three female competitors, Grace (Gugino), Lola (Behnam), and Kimberlyn (Elmore). Despite their differences, the women become a found family with a front-row seat to the greatest soap opera in town – the battle for the White House.”
Chozick and Julie Plec (Vampire Academy, The Originals) created the series and serve as executive producers. Showrunner Rina Mimoun also executive produces along with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, and Marcos Siega. Jesse Peretz executive produced and directed the pilot. Melissa Benoist is a producer.
Christina Elmore and Melissa Benoist (Photograph by Nicole Rivelli/Max)Brandon Scott and Melissa Benoist (Photograph by Nicole Rivelli/Max)Scott Foley and Melissa Benoist (Photograph by Nicole Rivelli/Max)
Just one Coen brother is behind the twisted action comedy Drive-Away Dolls which just dropped a new trailer. Ethan Coen goes solo, writing, directing and producing a film that escalates from a simple roadtrip to encounters with drug dealers, hitmen, a senator, and a mob boss.
Margaret Qualley (Poor Things) and Geraldine Viswanathan (The Beanie Bubble) star as the road trip participants, Jamie and Marian. The ensemble also includes Beanie Feldstein (Booksmart) as Sukie the cop, Colman Domingo (Rustin) as The Chief, Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) as The Collector, Bill Camp (The Queen’s Gambit) as Curlie, and Matt Damon (Oppenheimer) as Senator Gary Channel.
Geraldine Viswanathan, Margaret Qualley, and Beanie Feldstein in ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ (Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features)
“This comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up,” reads Focus Features’ synopsis. “In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.”
Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke co-wrote the screenplay, with Coen directing. Both serve as producers along with Robert Graf, Tim Bevan, and Eric Fellner. Coen and Cooke’s behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Ari Wegner, costume designer Peggy Schnitzer, production designer Yong Ok Lee, and composer Carter Burwell.
Focus Features will release Drive-Away Dolls in theaters on February 23, 2024.
2024’s giving us two films about imaginary friends. IF, from writer/director John Krasinski, is light and fluffy, with Ryan Reynolds starring and Steve Carell voicing an imaginary friend. On the opposite end of the imaginary friend spectrum is Lionsgate’s Imaginary. The trailer shows a young girl’s cute stuffed teddy bear wants to be her forever friend, à la Chucky.
Imaginary stars DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion), Tom Payne (Prodigal Son), Taegen Burns (The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers), and Pyper Braun (Erin & Aaron). Veronica Falcon (A Million Miles Away) and Betty Buckley (Preacher) also star.
“From Blumhouse, the genre-defining masterminds behind Five Nights at Freddy’s and M3GAN, comes an original horror film that taps into the innocence of imaginary friends – and begs the question: Are they really figments of childhood imagination or is something more terrifying lying just beneath?” reads Lionsgate’s synopsis. “When Jessica (Wise) moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter Alice (Braun) develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister.
As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.”
Pyper Braun as Alice in ‘Imaginary’ (Photo Credit: Parrish Lewis / Lionsgate)
Jeff Wadlow (Fantasy Island), Greg Erb, and Jason Oremland wrote the screenplay, with Wadlow directing. Wadlow also serves as producer along with Jason Blum.
Commenting on his film, Wadlow stated: “Not all imaginary friends are friendly… at least that’s what the characters at the heart of Imaginary are about to find out. I love making films that play with the audience’s perception of what is real and what is not, so a horror movie that explores the frightening possibilities of imaginary friends was the perfect sandbox for me to play in.
I think the movie we made is filled with unexpected twists, big scares, and above all else, a ton of thrilling fun. DeWanda, Pyper, and Taegen, the characters at the center of our story, are not only believable as a blended family but a blast to watch as the tale unfolds. I think audiences are going to love watching them go toe to toe with Chauncey, our evil little bear. I promise, you’ll never look at a Teddy the same way again.”
Lionsgate’s set a March 8, 2024 theatrical release.
Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’ (Courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Writer/director Jesse Eisenberg explores his family’s history in A Real Pain, a poignant and heartfelt dramedy that follows two cousins on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Eisenberg stars opposite Kieran Culkin, with the filmmaker taking the less showy, more grounded role while Culkin portrays the complex, conflicted, and damaged cousin.
Benji (Culkin) and David (Eisenberg), just three weeks apart in age but vastly different in maturity levels, embark on a Heritage Tour in Poland in honor of their recently departed grandmother Dory. Dory, who was born in Poland and survived the Holocaust, left the cousins money to take the tour to learn more about their family history.
David’s personality is established in the opening minutes when he repeatedly calls Benji to give him updates on the traffic, always ending his messages with, “Ring me when you get this.” Benji never calls back but beats him to the airport, claiming he likes just hanging out there. David’s fastidious and handles all the arrangements and paperwork, while Benji’s more interested in making friends with random strangers, including a TSA agent.
Benji’s been in a funk since Dory died, and he doesn’t hold back his feelings while introducing himself to the other members of the small tour group. On the other hand, David, an introvert, gives away nothing personal during the introductions. That dichotomy continues as the tour gets underway, with Benji spurring on his fellow travelers to strike battle poses in front of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Monument while David is only grudgingly involved as the designated photographer. (He finds the photo op to be incredibly disrespectful.)
As the tour continues, Benji keeps the group entertained and engaged, his natural charisma drawing this small group to him like moths to a flame. However, he lacks a filter, and his troubled mental state becomes more evident with his unexpectedly emotional reactions to certain sights and situations on the tour.
Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg at the ‘A Real Pain’ premiere (Photo by George Pimentel/ Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)
Eisenberg shows true talent as a filmmaker, skillfully walking a fine line and never allowing the film to inject comedy at the expense of the overall subject. Culkin’s Benji is quite a character, uncontrolled and uncontrollable, finding humor in the weirdest places and keeping himself and others entertained with his unique observations.
Eisenberg gives the settings their appropriate respect, and once the tour enters the Majdanek concentration camp they move through absorbing the history without much conversation. Similar scenes provide history lessons, the impact of which lingers after the film.
Strewn among the historical sites are moments of bonding by the cousins that show the connection they once shared is still strong. Benji sincerely thanks David for being there with him, acknowledging that David’s placed himself in a group environment even though it makes him extremely uncomfortable. It’s these little moments where the film is so raw and heartbreaking.
Culkin gets the lion’s share of the meatiest scenes and feasts on them, but Eisenberg did write one pivotal scene for himself. After Benji leaves the group’s table following one of his rants, David has had enough. David finally pours out his feelings, acknowledging he loves/hates his cousin, and reveals a tragic period in Benji’s past. It’s an incredibly well-written and well-acted scene and could be one of Eisenberg’s best moments on screen.
But back to Culkin. Despite Benji’s mercurial emotional swings and occasionally inappropriate behavior, he still feels grounded. Benji says cringe-worthy things, but you never dislike him. That’s thanks to Culkin finding just the right balance in Benji’s personality. Culkin captures all sides of this damaged young man and never goes overboard in any direction.
A Real Pain is fiction but is based on Eisenberg’s family history. Discussing the film at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Eisenberg said he’s always wanted to make a movie in Poland. Many of the buildings and locations are part of his family’s past in 1930s Poland, including an apartment. Although it’s an incredibly personal film, A Real Pain makes a real connection with audiences who have nothing in common with the filmmaker’s history.
Kieran Culkin’s career’s red hot coming off four seasons on Succession, and his scene-stealing performance is just as riveting as anything he did as Roman Roy on HBO’s critically acclaimed drama. Culkin and writer/director/actor Jesse Eisenberg are perfectly matched, and together they deliver an entertaining film that’s moving and, more importantly, truthful.
GRADE: A-
* * * * * * * *
A Real Pain premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and won The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic.
Jim Watson as Dr. Theo Hunter and Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir Hamed in ‘Transplant’ season 3 episode 13 (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV)
NBC’s Transplant season three comes to an end with episode 13, “The Luxury of Memory.” Episode 13 will air on Friday, February 9, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
“The Luxury of Memory” Plot: After returning from overseas, Bash faces his future at home. Mags considers big decisions about her health and personal life. June steps up to help her patient with his profound request. Theo witnesses a devastating event.
Hamza Haq leads the cast as Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed and Sirena Gulamgaus stars as Amira. Rekha Sharma plays Dr. Neeta Devi, Laurence Leboeuf is Dr. Magalie “Mags” Leblanc, and Ayisha Issa stars as Dr. June Curtis. Jim Watson plays Dr. Theo Hunter, Torri Higginson is Claire Malone, and Gord Rand is Dr. Mark Novak.
Sugith Varughese as Dr. Aajay Singh, Rekha Sharma as Dr. Neeta Devi, and Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir Hamed in the season 3 finale (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV)
Transplant Season 3 Plot, Courtesy of NBC:
The new season finds Bashir “Bash” Hamed (Haq) continuing his journey to start over, but with each new milestone comes a new challenge. While pursuing Canadian citizenship for himself and his younger sister, Amira (Gulamgaus), Bash closely examines who he’s becoming in his adopted country.
Still being asked repeatedly to prove himself, Bash works closely with his colleagues as they move forward following the dramatic conclusion of season two. Everyone continues to find themselves looking to adapt to change and understand how they fit in, both within and beyond the walls of York Memorial Hospital.
After Dr. Bishop’s (John Hannah) sudden departure, the team gains a new boss with the forward-thinking Dr. Neeta Devi. Dr. Devi has big ideas when it comes to overhauling the emergency department at York Memorial.
Jim Watson as Dr. Theo Hunter, Frank Marrs as Mike, and Tina Jung as Sepi in season 3 episode 13 (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV)Amanda Ip as Carmen, Mariah Inger as Rhoda Dasilva, and Marianne Farley as Dr. Elizabeth Bergeron in season 3 episode 13 (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV)Gord Rand as Dr. Mark Novak and Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir Hamed in the season 3 finale (Photo by: Yan Turcotte/Sphere Media/CTV)Sirena Gulamgaus as Amira Hamed and Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir Hamed in season 3 episode 13 (Photo by: Sphere Media/CTV)Laurence Leboeuf as Dr. Magalie Leblanc, Ayisha Issa as Dr. June Curtis, Rachel Wilson as Beatrice, and Gord Rand as Dr. Mark Novak in season 3 episode 13 (Photo by: Sphere Media/CTV)
