SCENES
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Scene Map 60
# PG SLUGLINE
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INT EXT INT/EXT hover for full slug
Scene Map
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# PG SLUGLINE
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INT. JFK AIRPORT - MORNING As the credits roll, we very slowly zoom in on a young man sitting alone on a bench at a busy airport. CUE: Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 We get glimpses of the young man's face as morning travelers
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INT. UBER - DAY David is in the back seat, harried and leaving a series of messages: DAVID Hey Benji, I hope you left already.
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INT. JFK AIRPORT - DAY David arrives at the airport, leaving another message as he heads toward a check-in kiosk— DAVID Hey Benji, I just got to the
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INT. JFK AIRPORT HALLWAY - DAY From behind, we see the two cousins walking toward security— 5 As they pass a garbage, David subtly tosses out the yogurt. INT. JFK AIRPORT SECURITY — DAY
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INT. JFK AIRPORT GATE - DAY David and Benji wait at the gate. David is eating trail mix. Benji eyes it: DAVID Do you want some? Priya made it
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INT. AIRPLANE - DAY The boys approach their seats. Benji’s still chomping on David’s trail mix. BENJI What seat do you have?
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INT. AIRPLANE - DAY A few minutes later, David is squished in the middle seat. Benji is in the window and somehow comfortably spread out. BENJI How you feelin in there dude?
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INT. AIRPLANE - NIGHT Later on the plane, David is awake and exhausted. He looks over to Benji who is slumped against the window, in a deep comfortable sleep. Two small, empty bottles of wine sit on Benji's tray.
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INT. WARSAW AIRPORT - EARLY MORNING The boys walk through the airport, both exhausted from the flight. DAVID You wanna get some breakfast?
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INT. CAR - MORNING The boys are in the car, heading into town. Benji is staring out the window; David is staring at his phone, AirPods in his ears, watching the video of his son. Benji elbows David. David takes out an AirPod.
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EXT. WARSAW - MORNING They arrive at an upscale chain - the Warsaw Central Hotel. INT. WARSAW HOTEL - MORNING They approach the front desk. RECEPTIONIST
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL ROOM - DAY The boys enter their room, begin unloading their gear, taking off their layers— DAVID We got a half hour. I’m definitely
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL HALLWAY - MORNING The two guys walk down the hallway. Benji is freshly showered and relaxed. David is sweaty and exhausted. INT. WARSAW LOBBY - MORNING The guys walk through the hotel lobby.
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL RESTAURANT - DAY James leads the guys towards a corner of the restaurant: JAMES We’re a relatively small group, which will be nice and intimate.
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EXT. WARSAW - MONTAGE A flurry of buildings, streets, signs, daily life in this bustling city set to Chopin's racing Etude. EXT. WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING MONUMENT - DAY Greco-Roman heroes stare at us from the iconic Warsaw Ghetto
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EXT. KRASINSKI GARDEN - DAY The gang walks through this peaceful park. Mark and Diane are asking James questions and Eloge is cross referencing what he sees with a little Polish guide book. Marcia walks alone.
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EXT. WALICOW STREET - DAY The group walks through the ruins of Warsaw, which abut the height of Central European modernity. We see the mix of old and new, the bullet holes and the mid- century rebuild.
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EXT. KREDYTOWA STREET - DAY From high, we see the group walk through this bohemian drag. EXT. ŚWIĘTOJERSKA STREET - DAY The group passes a fragment of the old Ghetto Wall. EXT. WARSAW UPRISING MONUMENT - DAY
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EXT. WARSAW HOTEL - NIGHT The group enters the hotel, the nice energy from the day lingering in the air. David feels a bit left out. INT. WARSAW HOTEL ELEVATOR — NIGHT David and Benji ride up in the elevator with Eloge, Diane and
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT David and Benji enter their room. BENJI Hey Dave. DAVID
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT Benji exits the bathroom walks straight to the window and opens it. But it only opens a few inches. BENJI Yo, look at this fuckin
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL HALLWAY OF TOP FLOOR — NIGHT The boys exit the elevator. BENJI (like a dowser) Okay, okay, which way are you?
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL STAIRWELL - NIGHT The boys giggle as they race up the stairwell. Benji opens the door to the roof — EXT. WARSAW HOTEL ROOF — NIGHT The boys are at the edge of the roof, which overlooks Warsaw.
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL ELEVATOR - NIGHT The boys ride back down the elevator in silence. INT. WARSAW HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT The boys lie on their separate beds. They’re eating chips from the mini bar and Benji is nursing a little bottle of
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL ROOM - MORNING David wakes up. He looks over to the other bed: Benji is still sleeping. A few more mini vodka bottles lie around his head. INT. WARSAW HOTEL BATHROOM - MORNING
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INT. WARSAW HOTEL HALLWAY - MORNING Benji reluctantly trudging through the hall, following David. EXT. WARSAW HOTEL - MORNING The group is waiting outside for the boys. DAVID
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INT. WARSAW TRAIN STATION - DAY The group walks through the train station. Benji takes it all in like a little kid. INT. WARSAW TRAIN STATION PLATFORM - DAY The group approaches the train. James leads them to the
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EXT. TRAIN - DAY Moving southeast through Central Poland’s Countryside. 43 INT. TRAIN - DAY The group rides in a sparsely filled first class car. They
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INT. TRAIN CAR - DAY David is walking through a more crowded part of the train, looking for Benji. He doesn’t see him. INT. SECOND TRAIN CAR - DAY David enters the next car. Halfway down, he sees Benji,
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EXT. POLAND COUNTRYSIDE - DAY The train speeds past us in various locations. INT. TRAIN - DAY Moving down the aisle, we find David fast asleep in his seat, Benji just watching him.
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EXT. KRASNIK PLATFORM - DAY The boys emerge onto the platform and begin walking toward the exit. Behind them, the train pulls away. David looks around the platform. DAVID
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INT. TRAIN - DAY The boys move through the train, heading towards the front. BENJI We stay moving, we stay light, we stay agile. He’s gonna be coming
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INT. FRONT CAR - DAY The boys enter the front car and find seats. They plop down, ecstatic. DAVID We made it.
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EXT. STAIRS TO CASTLE - DAY The group ascends the massive staircase that leads to the castle. JAMES I want today to be as vibrant as it
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EXT. BRIDGE FROM ZAMKOWA STREET - DAY The group walks along the gorgeous bridge to the gate. David approaches Eloge: DAVID So, you’re like really religious?
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EXT. LUBLIN - MONTAGE Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 plays over the following: JAMES (VO) The memories of Jewish life are here, but they’re hidden around
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EXT. CEMETERY – DUSK At the top of the hill is the Jewish cemetery, a rough patch of land with scattered tombstones. The group naturally fans out, taking it all in. Eloge lingers around James--
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EXT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT Establish a lively restaurant in old town Lublin. INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT A pianist plays the familiar Hava Nagila. We move off of the pianist to find our group sitting in this cozy, old style
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INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT Benji is still playing, now flanked by Marcia and Diane. We pan along the restaurant to find Dave sitting alone as the other guys chat amongst themselves. David stands up and decides to leave.
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INT. LUBLIN HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT It's the middle of the night. David is sleeping. He hears Benji enter the room and he stirs awake. Not wanting to engage with Benji, David lies very still. He hears Benji rifle through some stuff and then leave the room.
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INT. LUBLIN HOTEL ROOM - MORNING David is sleeping, sitting up in bed. He had a rough night. Suddenly, the room phone rings. He startles awake. DAVID Hello.
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INT. VAN - DAY The van drives on the outskirts of Lublin. James is facing back to address the group. David sits up front, Benji sits in the back. JAMES
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EXT. MAJDANEK - DAY The bus pulls in to the camp parking lot. It’s eerily sparse. Majdanek is essentially a preserved camp, unadorned with the museum style of other Holocaust sites. JAMES (VO)
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EXT. ENTRANCE AREA - DAY The group walks toward the barracks. JAMES Before the Red Army entered Majdanek, the Nazis had taken
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INT. BARRACKS - DAY The group approaches the exhibition barrack. JAMES The barracks. Built to fit 250 people. Often housed 500 and
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INT. GAS CHAMBER - DAY The group inside this considerably darker room. JAMES The gas chamber. The group looks around silently, in various stages of nausea.
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EXT. MAUSOLEUM - DAY The group arrives at the enormous spaceship-like Mausoleum. They stand under it, dwarfed by the structure. We see them from behind in a wide. INT. VAN - DAY
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EXT. LUBLIN HOTEL - DAY The group walks towards the entrance. INT. LUBLIN HOTEL - DAY The group enters the lobby. JAMES
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EXT. LUBLIN - AFTERNOON The boys amble around Lublin. There’s a nice thawing between them. They walk above the Czechówka River mural, a parallel black hole universe of the figures below.
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EXT. HILL OVERLOOKING CITY - DUSK The boys eat greasy shawarma and trudge up the hill. The sun is setting behind them. EXT. BREWERY STREET - NIGHT The boys walk under illuminated flowers and butterflies.
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INT. LUBLIN BUILDING LOBBY - NIGHT A SECURITY GUARD leans against a desk. Pan off him to see our smoker enter the building and, in tow, Benji and David, like idiots trying to act casual. They nod at the security guard who couldn't care less and
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EXT. ROOF - NIGHT A quiet rooftop overlooking Lublin. We slowly pan to see a rusty, industrial door. We now push steadily toward the door, which begins jiggling. Suddenly, it pops open and the boys emerge-
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INT. LUBLIN HOTEL HALLWAY - NIGHT In slow motion, following the boys as they make their way back to their room. INT. LUBLIN HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT The boys enter their hotel room silently.
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INT. LUBLIN HOTEL ROOM – MORNING The next morning, David and Benji are packing up their stuff. They don’t speak to each other. 91 INT. LOBBY DINING AREA - DAY
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EXT. KRASNYSTAW TOWN SQUARE - DAY The taxi pulls up to the town square. It’s got a quiet mid- day feeling. Shops line the square along with simple, three story apartment buildings. The guys step out of the taxi and get their bags from the trunk.
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EXT. SIDE STREET NEAR CHURCH - DAY David leads Benji around the corner, passing the St. Francis Xavier Church, which has a massive wooden cross erected in the parking lot. David directs them toward an alley.
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EXT. KRASNYTAW TOWN SQUARE - DAY The boys walk through the town square with their bags. They exit frame and the town continues on without them... I/E. TAXI - NEAR KRASNYSTAW - DAY The boys in a taxi on their way back to Warsaw Airport.
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INT. JFK BAGGAGE AREA - DAY The boys are near the exit of the airport. 97 DAVID Hey, I was thinking: why don’t we
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INT. CAB - DAY David is in a cab going back home. He is looking out the window. INT. CAB - DAY David passes LeFrak City and the massive Machpelah cemetery.
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INT. APARTMENT - DAY David enters his apartment and drops his bags. He calls out to his family that he has come home. 100 Priya and Abe run in and embrace him.
INT EXT INT/EXT tap to expand

A real pain

Two estranged cousins confront their past and their complicated relationship on a poignant Holocaust heritage tour.

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Overview

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Unique Selling Point

What makes "A Real Pain" stand out is its honest and empathetic portrayal of the characters' internal struggles, particularly the contrast between Benji's charismatic yet troubled personality and David's seemingly "successful" but deeply conflicted life. The screenplay skillfully blends the personal journeys of the two protagonists with the broader historical context of the Jewish experience, creating a multilayered narrative that is both emotionally resonant and intellectually engaging. The screenplay's compelling exploration of mental health, addiction, and the weight of familial legacy would likely resonate with audiences seeking character-driven dramas that delve into the complexities of the human experience.

AI Verdict

Model upgrade — Mar 31, 2026: Analysis is from our newer, stronger readers. Scores aren't directly comparable to pre-upgrade analyses.
Gemini
 Consider
GPT4
 Recommend
Claude
 Recommend
See Details in P/C/R/HR Section
Story Facts
Genres:
Drama 70% Comedy 40%

Setting: Contemporary, New York City and Warsaw, Poland

Themes: Brotherhood and evolving relationships, Generational Trauma and the Legacy of the Holocaust, Cultural Identity and the Search for Belonging, Grief, Healing, and the Acceptance of Sadness, The search for meaning and purpose

Conflict & Stakes: David's struggle to maintain his friendship with Benji while dealing with his responsibilities and emotional distance, with the stakes being their familial bond and personal growth.

Mood: Bittersweet and reflective

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: The juxtaposition of a contemporary family drama with a historical pilgrimage to Poland, exploring the impact of the past on present relationships.
  • Character Depth: The complex emotional struggles of David and Benji, highlighting their familial bond and personal growth throughout the journey.
  • Cultural Exploration: The screenplay delves into Jewish history and identity, providing a rich backdrop for the characters' development.
  • Humor and Heart: The balance of light-hearted moments amidst heavy themes, making the narrative relatable and engaging.

Comparable Scripts: The Farewell, A Serious Man, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, The Amazing Race, The Book Thief, Little Miss Sunshine, The Goldfinch, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Last Days

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

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Overall Score: 7.83
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