Eternity Review: A Soul-Searching Rom-Com That Asks Impossible Questions

 

Film: Eternity

Release Date: November 26, 2025

Director: David Freyne

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Comedy

Runtime: 114 Minutes

Distributor: A24

In the crowded landscape of afterlife fiction—somewhere between the bureaucratic whimsy of Defending Your Life and the existential ache of Past Lives—David Freyne’s Eternity carves out a distinct, pastel-colored niche. Released this week by A24, the film uses a high-concept fantasy premise to dismantle a very grounded human anxiety: the fear that the life you chose came at the expense of the life you didn’t.

Anchored by a career-best performance from Elizabeth Olsen and surprising vulnerability from Miles Teller, Eternity is a polished, heart-wrenching, and visually inventive exploration of love, regret, and the paralyzing nature of infinite choice.

Plot Synopsis: The Ultimate Choice

 

The film opens with Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) and Larry (Miles Teller) at the end of a long, quiet life. They have been married for 65 years—a partnership defined not by fireworks, but by deep familiarity and the comfortable silence of shared history. Their time together ends abruptly when Larry chokes on a pretzel and dies, followed days later by Joan, who succumbs to a long battle with cancer.

Joan awakens in “The Junction,” a mid-century modern waystation that functions like a celestial airport terminal. Here, the recently deceased revert to the physical age when they were happiest. For Joan and Larry, this means returning to their radiant, youthful selves.

Upon arrival, souls are assigned an “Afterlife Coordinator” (AC) and given seven days to sample various “Eternities”—customized paradises ranging from “Endless Beach” to “1930s Paris.” Once a soul selects an Eternity and a partner, the decision is irrevocable.

Larry, guided by his pragmatic AC Anna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), eagerly awaits Joan so they can resume their marriage in paradise. However, complications arise when Joan’s AC, the delightfully neurotic Ryan (John Early), reveals a surprise: Luke (Callum Turner), Joan’s first husband, is also in The Junction.

Luke died decades ago in the Korean War. He has spent 67 years in this limbo, refusing to move on, waiting solely for Joan. Now, Joan faces an impossible dilemma. She must choose between Larry, the steady rock with whom she built a family and a life, and Luke, the passionate “one that got away” whose potential was never fully realized.

Critical Analysis

 

The Dilemma: Stability vs. The Spark

 

The script, co-written by Freyne and Pat Cunnane, uses its fantastical premise to interrogate the “road not taken.” The central conflict is not just between two men, but between two versions of Joan. Larry represents the reality of long-term love: the compromise, the history, and the beautiful boredom of consistency. Luke represents the fantasy of love: the unblemished spark, the tragedy of lost time, and the allure of “what if.”

The film intelligently avoids painting either man as a villain. Larry can be curmudgeonly and safe, but his devotion is palpable. Luke is dashing and romantic, but the narrative subtly questions if his love is for the real Joan or the preserved memory of her. The Junction itself serves as a metaphor for the paralyzing effect of modern decision-making—when you have eternity to choose, commitment becomes a terrifying finality.

Performances: A Trio of Heartbreak

 

Elizabeth Olsen delivers a powerhouse performance that requires her to channel the weariness and wisdom of an 85-year-old woman while inhabiting the body of a 30-year-old. She masters the physicality of the role—notice the way she initially struggles to stand up, forgetting her knees are young again—and communicates a lifetime of grief in single glances. She grounds the high-concept whimsy in genuine human emotion.

Miles Teller plays against type as the reliable, slightly grumpy husband. He sheds his usual bravado to play a man who is deeply uncool but profoundly decent. His chemistry with Olsen feels lived-in and authentic; they bicker like a couple who have heard each other’s stories a thousand times.

Callum Turner brings a tragic, dreamlike quality to Luke. He is less of a fully fleshed-out character and more of a romantic ideal, which fits the narrative’s structure perfectly. The supporting cast is equally strong, with Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early stealing every scene they are in. Early, in particular, provides razor-sharp comic relief as the officious bureaucrat managing Joan’s file.

Visuals & Direction: A Retro-Futurist Purgatory

 

David Freyne creates a stunningly realized world. The Junction is a triumph of production design, utilizing retro-futuristic aesthetics that feel like a Wes Anderson set designed by Eero Saarinen. The color palette is soft and inviting—mint greens, pale pinks, and warm ambers—creating a purgatory that feels more like a luxury spa than a waiting room.

The visual effects are used sparingly but effectively, primarily to render the “samples” of different Eternities. One moment Joan is skiing in a winter wonderland, and the next she is sipping wine in a sun-drenched vineyard. These transitions are seamless, emphasizing the surreal fluidity of the afterlife.

Comparison: Larry vs. Luke

 

To understand Joan’s choice, it is helpful to look at what each partner offers her in the context of an eternal existence.

Feature	Larry (Miles Teller)	Luke (Callum Turner)
History	65 years of marriage, children, grandchildren.	Brief, passionate romance cut short by war.
Dynamic	Comfortable, bickering, deeply known.	Intense, idealized, frozen in time.
Flaw	Can be mundane and risk-averse.	Possessive and stuck in the past.
Appeal	Represents the life she lived.	Represents the life she imagined.

Strengths & Weaknesses

 

Strengths

 

• Original Concept: A fresh, creative spin on the afterlife genre that feels distinct from similar properties like The Good Place.

• Elizabeth Olsen: A nuanced, layered performance that anchors the film’s emotional stakes.

• Production Design: The world-building of The Junction is immersive, detailed, and visually delightful.

• Supporting Cast: John Early and Da’Vine Joy Randolph provide perfect comedic counterweights to the romantic drama.

Weaknesses

 

• Pacing: The second act drags slightly as the film reiterates the difficulty of Joan’s choice without advancing the plot significantly.

• Character Depth: While Larry is well-defined, Luke can feel slightly one-dimensional, serving more as a plot device than a fully realized person.

Final Verdict

 

Eternity is a charming, soul-stirring triumph that explores the terrifying beauty of commitment. It treats its audience with intelligence, refusing to offer easy answers to impossible questions. While the premise is fantastical, the emotions are deeply grounded. It argues that love is not just about the spark of the beginning, but the endurance of the middle and the end.

Ideally suited for fans of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Lobster, this is a film that will leave you debating its ending long after the credits roll. It is one of the year’s most thoughtful romantic dramas.

Score: 4.5/5 Stars