By: Sarah Chaisson-Warner
What makes for a compelling drama feature? The kind that keeps audiences glued to the screen, following every plot twist and turn? Crafting an excellent drama script takes significant skill and a roadmap to follow can help a lot.
One of the best ways to improve your own screenwriting is to read other successful scripts in the genre. In our Anatomy of a Script series, we’ll look at “A Real Pain” written by Jesse Eisenberg and released in 2024. The script received, among other awards, a BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay and several awards for Kieran Culkin, including the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Below we’ll dive into the various components of this script that make it exceptional, but - warning, this article contains spoilers!
Character Introductions
A film about a set of cousins who tour Poland to honor their grandmother, their adventure becomes complicated as old tensions resurface while exploring their family history. The opening scenes succinctly introduce the audience to the two main characters, David and Benji, as they travel and arrive at the airport for their fateful trip.
The first page of the script quickly introduces the two main characters and gives an impression of their main character traits. David, meticulous and organized, calls Benji over and over again to make sure he is on his way to the airport, indicating that perhaps Benji is unreliable.
Benji, a bit lost and unkempt, visually appears in that manner, but to David’s surprise is already there.
This brief, but deep introduction not only helps the audience get an early glimpse into these two as individuals, but into their relationship as well. David, a bit overbearing, but probably for good reason; Benji, unreliable but has the ability to surprise at times.
Solid Hook and Plot Execution
“A Real Pain” also wastes little time teasing the hook and the central conflict. As the two young men wait in the airport for their flight, David hesitantly asks Benji if he wants to talk about anything, hinting that there is a conflict looming between them.
Later in the first act, we learn both of their emotional and physical journeys, but also of the central plot - their grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, recently died and they are joining a tour group in Poland to learn more about her history and honor her memory:
The script also follows a typical three-act structure, with the first act introducing the main characters and the central conflict or journey they are taking. The second act explores the central conflict, but also introduces several subconflicts, including Benji’s health and the deterioration of the cousins’ relationship. The third act wraps up the story with a resolution for their physical journey as well as their emotional journey.
Character Development
Both characters are set up to be people you might already know and love - David, a steady family man with a good job and a relatively even life and Benji as the polar opposite – charismatic and charming but clearly struggling with his own inner demons. The script, though, takes care not only to deepen the audience’s understanding of these characters but to challenge the preconceptions we may have developed as a result of their first act introductions.
For example, Benji and David’s tour group begins with a series of introductions of the other tour members and the guide. While these are typically rote introductions in these settings, Benji takes the opportunity to express genuine interest in one of the members - Eloge - in a comedic yet heart-warming manner:
But after several scenes where Benji continues building a rapport with the guests, his demeanor takes an unexpected turn when the tour group takes a first class train through Poland to a graveyard. There, Benji explodes at the tour guide:
Similarly, David’s stalwart approach to life borders on the mundane, and he even shrugs off an opportunity to take a fun picture when the group self-organizes into a silly scene. But later, David himself lets his guard down and shares his frustrations with Benji to the group over dinner, in a rare and authentic show of emotion:
Resolution
A solid resolution, including a twist that pulls the script together, is key for ending the story well and leaving the audience satisfied. The resolution of “A Real Pain” closes the loop on both the emotional journey Benji and David take and the physical one.
Their emotional journey together culminates in a final scene where Benji and David finally have it out, and they confront one another about the looming tensions within their relationship, including the changes they have experienced separately and together as part of growing into men.
The script ties up the physical journey with the final destination of their trip - their grandmother’s home in Poland. There, the two men reckon with the death of their grandmother, and find a way to both grieve and honor her together:
Learn More
“A Real Pain” offers a masterclass in understanding how to build a compelling, character-driven drama that builds intensity and engages the audience throughout. If you’re interested in learning more about how to craft compelling scripts in other formats, check out the other articles in our “Anatomy of a Script” series:
- Anatomy of a Winning Short Script
- Anatomy of a Winning Feature
- Anatomy of a Winning One-Hour TV Pilot
- Anatomy of a Winning Half-Hour TV Pilot
And if you have a great script, don’t forget to enter our Feature Contest! Our Feature Contest is for writers of all genres who are ready to gain representation with an agent or manager, sell their screenplay, and get staffed on writing assignments.
For the second year in a row, we are excited to offer the Guaranteed Option Prize with Showdown Productions! Work with Showdown to develop your project and take it to the next level, all while getting paid to option your script. To be eligible for consideration for the Guaranteed Option Prize you must select the Add-On feature when submitting your Feature screenplay. Click here to learn more about Showdown and the Guaranteed Option Prize.
