This weekend, Jesse Eisenberg returns to the big screen in A Real Pain. The film, which he wrote, directs, and stars in, follows a man struggling to keep his emotions on check during a trip with his cousin. A Real Pain has drawn considerable praise for Eisenberg’s subdued directing, brilliant writing, and Kiernan Culkin’s livewire performance. It bodes well for Eisenberg, who has been one of indie films darling performers for years. To celebrate his latest career milestone, we’re highlighting seven of his best performances to date.

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

As a young actor, Jesse Eisenberg landed on many radars for his emotional performance in The Squid and the Whale. Told from the perspective of two children struggling with their parent’s divorce, Noah Baumbach gave Eisenberg a role that required incredible pathos. With several standout scenes that could have easily been accused of overacting,...