With castmember Maya Rudolph returning this weekend to host Saturday Night Live, many predicted she'd bring back her Whitney Houston impression for one last hurrah. Fortunately for everyone, she didn't (seriously, too soon) although Rudolph did dust off her versions of Maya Angelou and Michelle Obama.
But her most hilarious celebrity impression of the night was Beyoncé.
Rudolph's Bey and Jay Pharoah as Jay-Z (a reminder that an impression can be accurate and also boring) have a white butler they call "white butler," let Blue Ivy sleep in a crib lined with "one of Diana Ross's finest wigs" and in Beyoncé's case, at least, always have on a fringed, sequined silver dress under a robe. (I guess Sasha Fierce gets dressed first.)
While a wavy blonde wig and a sparkly dress are the basics for any Beyoncé, Rudolph mostly played the foil for the other weird characters parading through their home: Taylor Swift making her surprised face, Prince giving Blue Ivy "a smirk," Angelina Jolie trying to take the baby home and Justin Timberlake as Bon Iver putting himself to sleep with a lullaby.
Actually, Justin Timberlake's appearance reminded me of the last time Beyoncé made an SNL appearance: The super-viral sketch where Timberlake and two other guys act as (the real) Beyoncé's back-up dancers in the "Single Ladies" video.
Does Maya's version measure up, or do you think Beyoncé is funnier when she's playing herself?
Comedy film duos have a long history, from Laurel and Hardy in the 1920s and ‘30s to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in movies like Baby Mama. But the majority of duos have either been friends or work partners, relationships that can be close, but not as close as family. The new film A Real Pain aims for the comedy that a great duo can bring, but hits deeper because the two lead characters are related to each other.
Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg) are first cousins who decide to take a trip to Poland to visit the childhood home of their grandmother, who has recently passed. Their personalities could not be more different, with David buttoned-down and reserved and Benji extremely social, if a little wild. This contrast is on display from the moment they leave on their trip, affecting almost every aspect of their journey.
The two meet up with a diverse tour group in Poland, including guide James (Will Sharpe), recently divorced Marcia (Jennifer Grey), married couple Mark (Daniel Oreskes) and Diane (Liza Sadovy), and Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan), an African man who has converted to Judaism. As the group visits various historical sites, David confronts contrasting feelings about Benji, who goes from charming to abrasive seemingly at the drop of a hat.
Written and directed by Eisenberg, the film is about both the family we have and the history of those who came before us. With Benji and David being Jewish and their grandmother having escaped from the Nazis in World War II, the themes hit harder than they might in other situations. Eisenberg takes care to honor his Jewish ancestors both in the way he has Benji and David talk about their grandmother and the places they visit.
But even though emotions are heightened due to the significance of the trip, the film is far from a dour affair. Benji keeps things interesting at almost all times with a series of impulsive decisions, many that are entertaining for both the tour group and the audience watching the film. He is one of those film characters that is great to watch on screen, but would likely be too much to handle if you were confronted with him in real life.
The relationship between Benji and David is a complicated one; the two obviously have love for each other, but they rarely see eye-to-eye on the best way to approach certain situations. This tension keeps the film grounded, and Eisenberg does a great job at showing the push-and-pull the two cousins have with each other. The little moments, especially when Benji and David go their separate ways, say a lot as the characters try to reconcile where each is at in their respective lives.
Eisenberg has always been an understated performer, so this role is almost perfect for him. Culkin, fresh off his Emmy-winning role in HBO’s Succession, is an ideal foil for Eisenberg, as he has a manic energy that he can control or not control at will. It’s also nice to see Grey in action again, as she brings just the right touch to her supporting role.
The drama in A Real Pain comes from the life experiences of its two main characters, which are on full display despite the story only doling out details in small doses. The film is subtle yet powerful, a testament to Eisenberg’s filmmaking ability and the actors never trying to make too much of their scenes.
