REVIEW: ‘Eternity’ Offers Quirky Laughs And Creatively Eccentric Drama

James Crooks
2 minutes ago
4 min read

To share your life with another is one of the greatest privileges that exists. Falling in love, creating unforgettable memories, watching each other flourish and grow into better, matured people. Some find this early, others much longer. With the foundation of life being love many consider it essential to the adventure of existence and fulfillment.

Yet love isn't always easy, and life enjoys throwing challenging, unpredictable curveballs hoping to disrupt our pattern of happiness. David Freyne's A24 distributed film Eternity tackles this concept, not in 'the real world' nor the afterlife, but at a self-described waiting lobby inbetween known as The Junction.

(L-R) Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner in Eternity ©A24 — (L-R) Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner in *Eternity* ©A24

After Joan and her second husband Larry, played by Elizabeth Olsen (Wandavision) and Miles Teller (Whiplash), meet death at the unique hands of cancer and pretzels respectively, they find themselves reunited in the waiting lobby to everafter. Here, they must choose from a variety of quirky 'worlds' to spend the rest of eternity in; Museum Eternity, Man-Free Eternity, Satanism Eternity and Mountain Eternity to name just a handful. Agreeing on an idealistic community to spend the rest of time in poses enough pressure, especially as it's a one and done choice. No takebacksies, no second chances, and any attempt to jump between Eternities will find you thrown into a black nothingness known as the void for, well, eternity.

Yet within The Junction waits Joan's first husband, Luke (Callum Turner), a perfect war hero who died in combat leaving Joan a young, grieving widow before she later remarried to Larry for 65 years. The substance of the film lies within this dynamic, less of the usual 'will they, won't they?' and more of a 'Will they... Or will they?' as Joan battles with her psyche and choosing between the two men, the two loves of her time on Earth. One that gave her children and a near lifetime of happiness, family and memories. The other being a love never given a real chance, abruptly taken by the horrors of war – no matter how much Teller's Larry will claim this sentiment is being milked.

The concept is unconventional, and yet quite magical. Throwing a creative spanner into the genre of rom-coms, of which have seen a generous theatrical resurgence recently, see Anyone but You (2023), Past Lives (2023) and Regretting You (2025). Each of these boast an individualistic trait inherit to the film, a present wrapped in unique style and placed under the tree with a elegant ribbon. Eternity takes this trend and kicks it up a notch, melting in magnetic chemistry, subtle but side-splitting humour and beautiful, bold colour palettes that reinforces the blandness of modern blockbusters (and a Wicked couple at that). Flurries of colour and scenic settings grace the screen, striking the film as an indulgent visual treat complimented by eccentric set designs.

Such personality can largely be attributed Academy Award winner Da'Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) who is simply remarkable throughout. Playing Anna, a counselor for the newly deceased, she brings a sassy wit and sarcastic beat to the rom-com, the root of much laughter throughout. Acting as Larry's (Miles Teller) counselor, her approach to navigating the uncomfortable love triangle produces much of Eternity's heart, offering a sincere shoulder for Larry to pour his heart out to (or at least when his wife is away with her deceased first husband). Whilst never delving into the realm of sci-fi, hastily avoiding a lack of exploration of the eternities available, Anna keeps the characters grounded, preventing the concept from straying into ridiculous territories. This compliments the triangle and performances of the leads, justifying Teller's, Olsen's and Turner's switches from exasperating humour to dramatic yearning for simplicity and decision, each member allowed to flex their acting chops.

(L-R) Miles Teller and Da'Vine Joy Randolph in Eternity ©A24 — (L-R) Miles Teller and Da'Vine Joy Randolph in *Eternity* ©A24

Eternity only momentarily falters during a slightly overdrawn transition from second to third act. In such moments it would've have enhanced the experience to provide a further depth, exploring the grief Luke has over a lost relationship, discovering who Larry is without his wife (given his desire to always please) and then Olsen's Joan learning meaning of life beyond death and former lovers. In fairness, these topics are touched upon enough to produce the emotional hook it aims for, but a further indulgence may have allowed this film to flourish.

The overly critical may suggest a slightly longer runtime of 15 minutes would breathe poignancy into Eternity, but in the same breath audiences may argue this isn't that sort of film. Despite the heavy handed topics of death and various forms of grief, Eternity is a relatively light-hearted laugh at the struggles life can throw, even after death.

Overall, Eternity is an exceptional entry into the catalogue of modern rom-coms. Just as it teeters upon predictable, it throws audiences multiple twists, keeping the tone consistently bouncy and fresh. There's enough for everyone to enjoy within the mildly capitalistic and dystopian afterlife, satisfying the craving audiences may have within the genre. Creativity seeps life into Hollywood, with director Freyne and co-writer Cunnane gracefully achieving this throughout Eternity's entirety, assisted by David Fleming's (Superman) consistently delightful involvement as composer. Packaged underneath a neat sub-2 hour runtime, there's little to contest with here, and plenty to justify a rewatch.