By Richard Mason
The movies of 2024 that stuck with me were ones that centered their narratives on relationships. These weren’t often epics or intricate genre films, but small-scale dramas with characters whose inner workings feel real. The Bikeriders, Challengers, and A Real Pain are my favorite releases of the past year and all three follow stories of human connection. All movies are about relationships to some extent, here though, these movies specifically cover dynamics that felt rich in depth.
The Bikeriders was originally intended for a 2023 release, but it was postponed to 2024 because of the SAG-AFTRA strike. I bring this up because it’s been overlooked and I expect some to google the film and be confused by the initial release date. It’s inspired by true events surrounding real life biker gang The Outlaws. The movie’s story is about The Vandals, who are fictional and feel real as they embody pervasive human experiences. The Vandals are a group of blue-collar men who all share a need for community. Their paths meet through Tom Hardy’s character starting the biker organization. Their personas go from macho loners to quirky misfits by the end. Early characterizations include their harassment of Jodie Comer’s character in the first scene, showing their unavoidable crassness. Later though, they start to let themselves go- Michael Shannon’s character’s vulnerable confession of feeling ignored and alienated from not being allowed to participate in the Vietnam War was a standout moment. His supporting character Zipco is peak Bikeriders for me, he’s an odd, prickly pear who is deep down dying for a sense of belonging. Scenes like that happen at these big picnics the vandals hold which showcase their comradery and love for chilling. This is an excellent companion piece to The Iron Claw, which is about brothers whose whole world revolves around their close relationships and love for wrestling. If you want to really understand masculinity and male friendship, watch either of these, skip the self-help book and podcast circuit.
Challengers was released to huge internet hype, and spawned memes that made my final days on Twitter a colorful exit. It features a toxic love triangle between three tennis players who don’t have much else going on for them. Their only focus is on their success as athletes and staying on top of one another socially. The film features a lot of close ups on the actors that cements the small world they inhabit. Each conversation feels so tight, while also holding so much context. There’s classical, novel-like implications in their tiny gestures and conversations that make arguments into Sudoku. Zendaya’s facial expressions spawned memes, but her acting does convey the conflicted ambitions of her character well, as her solemn disappointment can be seen whenever she looks at her admirers. From the blue blood background of Mike Faist’s character to his boarding school days with Josh O’Connor’s character, there’s some interesting traits that give these characters a great sense of roundedness too. Challengers received no Oscar nominations despite the refreshing character centered story. This year has had a lot of interesting premises play out to critical acclaim. Understandably there was a lot of competition to consider. Similarly, The Bikeriders received no nominations.
A Real Pain is Jesse Eisenberg’s second time directing a feature length film and it is a treasure trove of personalities mixing. The story is of two American cousins visiting Poland to honor the memory of their grandmother who was born in the country. Eisenberg’s character suffers from OCD and is self-conscious, which contrasts with the cousin played by Kieran Culkin, who’s free spirited and has a knack for clicking with strangers. The leading tension of the film is between these two who don’t see eye to eye on much during their trip. Eisenberg’s character will step on Culkin’s character’s toes with dwelling on a specific detail or wanting to keep something low key. While the reverse happens when Culkin’s character is starting uncomfortable conversations that embarrass Eisenberg’s cousin character and likely the audience. I cringed so much watching the cemetery scene when he condescendingly confronts the unassuming tour guide over not being respectful enough and only wanting to give factoids. There’s a longer talk that Eisenberg’s character gives, reflecting on those who don’t want attention and the alienation that comes from that kind of personality. I bring it up because nothing else this year has hit me as hard as this, “Yeah, I have pain, who doesn’t have pain? But I take a pill for my OCD and I jog and I meditate, and I go to work and I move forward because I know my pain is unexceptional, so I don’t feel the need to burden everybody with it.”. I definitely see myself in this character, and I felt like I had this conversation only a week or two before watching the film. I think this somber film powerfully highlights the range of personalities within families. What really takes this above and beyond was Eisenberg’s interest in making a movie about the Holocaust that centers on a modern perspective, and the relationships the further removed generations have with this traumatic time in history.
