Most years, Jessie Eisenberg’s performance in A Real Pain would have him in the award season conversation more alongside his co-star Kieran Culkin — but a second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor might be out of reach this year. Eisenberg has become an interesting figure in Hollywood. Having already earned an Oscar nomination in 2010 for The Social Network and delivering a mix of performances over the years, Eisenberg has found mᴀssive success with A Real Pain.

Eisenberg directed, wrote, and starred in the dramedy, with A Real Pain‘s main characters being an estranged pair of cousins embarking on a trip to Poland together in honor of their recently deceased grandmother. The film is critically acclaimed and has earned a number of award nominations, especially for Eisenberg’s screenplay and Culkin’s supporting performance. In other years, Eisenberg would be right there in the conversation for Best Actor, alongside him. However, that’s increasingly looking unlikely.

Jessie Eisenberg Delivers An Oscar-Worthy Performance In A Real Pain

Jessie Eisenberg Does A Great Job As Joe

Jessie Eisenberg delivers a terrific performance in A Real Pain that would normally short-list him for an Academy Award — but tough compeтιтion in the Best Actor category and a lack of nominations from the SAG Awards and BAFTAs makes him a long-sH๏τ for a nomination. Eisenberg plays Joe with a rigid stability, a deliberate contrast to the more energetic and excitable Benji. He’s a quietly stable man who has been shaken by recent events, who can’t escape his embarrᴀssment and muted surprise at the hijinx and mood swings of his cousin.

The notable trick is that Eisenberg gets the chance to play the character for laughs and dramatics in equal measure, creating a well-rounded character. Eisenberg’s best scenes in the film, like his dinner confessional about his truly mixed feelings about Benji, are among the best-acted character beats from a film all year. Having also written the script, Eisenberg knows Joe inside out. The actor has received some award recognition for the performance, such as a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. In most years, that would push help Eisenberg have a good chance at earning an Oscar nomination.

Tough Compeтιтion Makes An Acting Nomination A LongsH๏τ For Eisenberg

A Real Pain Has A Lot Of Potential Compeтιтion For An Oscar Nomination

The problem for Eisenberg this Oscar season is that he’s facing a particularly stiff compeтιтion going into the 97th Academy Awards. Certain actors have been gaining momentum this award season thanks to a number of nominations for their performances. Adrien Brody, Timothée Chalamet, Daniel Craig, Colman Domingo, Ralph Fiennes, and Sebastian Stan have been acquiring more momentum. Victories for Brody and Stan at the Golden Globes have made them front-runners in the category, while Domingo, Craig, and Fiennes are beloved figures who have yet to earn an Academy Award.

Their films are also flashier or larger than the character-focused and understated A Real Pain. Eisenberg delivers a great performance bolstered by good writing, but he’s not pondering the value of faith in front of the Cardinals, finding pᴀssion within the confines of prison, or playing a rock icon. Even as a potential dark horse contender, Eisenberg has to look out for other compeтιтion, like Hugh Grant’s unsettling performance in Heretic.

A Real Pain Could Still Earn Jessie Eisenberg An Oscar Nomination

Eisenberg Is Still A Frontrunner For Best Original Screenplay

While it’s not out of the realm of possibility, the odds are stacked against Eisenberg to get a Best Actor nomination, which is a shame given how strong the performance is. However, he still has a good chance to earn a spot among the nominees for the 97th Academy Awards. Beyond just starring in it, Eisenberg directed and wrote A Real Pain. Similar to his situation in the acting category, strong compeтιтion might keep him outside the nominations for Best Director, but Eisenberg’s script for A Real Pain is one of the most acclaimed screenplays of the year.

While Eisenberg has gotten a few nominations for Best Actor, he’s earned far more award attention for the screenplay. A Real Pain will still face some strong compeтιтion if it does earn a nomination in that category, with films like Anora, Conclave, The Brutalist, and The Substance also proving compeтιтive in the field. Eisenberg has better odds to earn a nomination for A Real Pain in the writing category, but that’s not discredit a genuinely good performance in a compeтιтive year.