by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
You would think a movie about our protagonist Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) choosing which husband to live with forever in the afterlife would be fairly serious. Not only will she pick between the two loves of her life, but then she must choose where to spend forever. A classic beach getaway? The perfect golden hour all day? A hilly ski resort? What a question this movie poses! On one hand, you have the reliable husband of more than 50 years in Larry (Miles Teller), who has made every day about making Joan happy. On the other, you have tall and dreamy war hero Luke (Callum Turner), who Joan mourned everyday for 60 years. So who is Joan going to choose, and how is she going to choose? With assistance from afterlife coordinators Anna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) and Ryan (John Early), we find out.
Now I saw the trailers and the jokes herein. Eternity seemed like it would be a little more serious, and aimed at provocative relationship discussions. Again, it’s about choosing who you want to spend forever with in the afterlife. Serious conversation and decision, to be sure. So color me surprised when the tone of this movie is immediately comedic and charming. There is no end to the cracks about the nature of the afterlife and its different rules. More on that later too. That takes down the dourness that one usually associates with discussions about life after death. And while we get to see squabbling between Larry and Luke, both are well-intentioned loving men. This is not a bitter or dark story about death.
In fact, the entire world here feels like an antithesis to how the film industry usually portrays the afterlife. Director and writer David Freyne came up with a concept that, while not wholly original (heaven and its depictions have existed for millennia), addresses the central choice of the movie from a practical point of view. What if there were pamphlets and salespeople telling you about why you should live in Disneyland heaven? How funny would it be if there was a paradise where everyone was smoking and felt no guilt about it? Why not have a Valhalla with a small Colorado ski town feel? Freyne opens up this world in a brilliant way. When you add in rules about how long you have to make your choice, and how to live in the sort of “holding area,” it gives this setting a lived-in feel.
Unique and original ideas are not everything a movie like this needs. Audiences will not care what choice our protagonist makes unless they understand our hero and their motivation. But fortunately, we are in good hands with Teller, Olsen, and Turner.
Teller captures an incredible everyman goofball performance. He has a simple sense of humor and takes a minute to pick up where he is and what he is doing. Normally, I wouldn’t not pin Teller as lovable, but more bitingly sarcastic, so seeing him turn a page on a different kind of performance excited me.
Conversely, Turner is giving the absolute dreamboat performance. Every moment he’s on screen feels like everyone is drawn to him. He has this charm and aura to him that anyone would want a part of. When he smiles the room lights up. The attention he gives to Joan would be enough to melt anyone’s heart. These two do not make it easy on Joan to choose.
Completing the trio perfectly is Olsen. She is the hinge that makes this all work. Because of the chemistry she has with both Turner and Teller, it’s believable she could end up with either of them. Manic energy fills her as she is stressed by this difficult choice. On one hand, Joan has this lost love and “what if” question with Luke that she wants explored. Every moment she and Luke are together is like seeing two puzzle pieces fit together well. But with Larry, there’s half a century of history. She loved him and he took care of her; spending eternity together would be easy. Olsen makes this dynamic work. With a less talented actress, or someone who didn’t quite understand the assignment, this story would be at risk.
Now before I get into the meat of this movie (Joan’s decision to leave with one of her husbands), I have to give props to Randolph. Comedy is timing, and she has it for days. After every existential question about heaven or fight over Joan’s love, she is right there with a sarcastic response or simple answer with the right tone. She deserved that Oscar a few years ago for The Holdovers, and Eternity proves she still has gas in the tank. So please give Randolph more roles, Hollywood!!!
Part of me did not want the film’s central question answered. Seeing the value in both of Joan’s suitors, and leaving an ending up for interpretation, seemed the smarter choice. However, Freyne did not agree with me, showing us Joan’s ultimate decision. But I have to give credit, because the decision is in line with the character dynamic and relationships we have seen. So while I might have taken it another direction, the final character moments don’t feel divorced from the people we’ve been watching on screen for two hours.
Rating: Loved It
Eternity is currently playing in theaters
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