ETERNITY (2025) – Review

So what new genre are the fine folks at A24 going to tackle now? This current “indie darling” studio has made its mark with searing dramas and harrowing horror (I can’t even think about BRING HER BACK). What’s next? How about the “rom com”? Sure, this year’s MATERIALISTS would qualify, though it’s a pretty sharp comedic commentary on the current dating scene. Maybe they’ll look into one of those “sub-genres” such as the “fantasy/rom com”. Yes, indeed, their foray drops in theaters this holiday weekend. The fantasy part is the setting for most of the story: the afterlife. But there are no halos, or wings, or harps (maybe on the soundtrack). The plot concerns souls that are in a kind of limbo as they ponder some big decisions. See, it’s not just a question of “where” you want to spend the afterlife (more about that in a bit), bur rather “who” you want to be by your side for all of ETERNITY.

The story really starts on good ole’ planet Earth, today. The long-time elderly married couple, the Cutlers, are on their way to a “gender reveal” party, spurring much debate about current quirky traditions. But the celebration takes a tragic turn and suddenly the hubby/grandpa’ is on a very bizarre train. And he’s not in his 80s, instead he looks to be a spry thirty-something. Larry (Miles Teller) arrives at an equally strange station and is met by Anna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who explains to him that he has passed away and is in a heavenly ‘holding zone”. She’s his personal “Afterlife Coordinator”, further explaining that he is at his “happiest age” and has a week to decide which “afterlife area” he will exist forever. Lots of reps for the many different “worlds” bombard him with sales pitches (maybe “Sports world” or “Business world”, among hundreds of choices). But hey, Larry wants to be with his wife, so he has the option of staying in this zone and taking a job (the place resembles a massive resort) until his love arrives (dies, really). It doesn’t seem like a bad choice after conversing with a friendly affable bartender named Luke (Callum Turner) who’s pouring drinks until his lady love shows up. It’s not too long until Larry’s beloved checks in at the train station. A disoriented Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) is greeted by her own “AC”, Ryan (John Early). Anna swoops in with Larry, but Ryan has another option. Seems he’s also the AC for Joan’s first husband, who had been killed in a war not long after they wed. And you can guess who that is. Now, Joan has to make the biggest decision of her life (actually afterlife). Should she join Luke in “Mountain world” or be with Larry in “Beach world”? Let the chaotic comedy contest begin…

Although this flick is marketed as an otherworldly love triangle, the “side” with the most screen time is probably Teller as the often befuddled and a bit coarse Larry. Though, he made his mark in action flicks like the TOP GUN sequel and the “under-the-radar” sci-fi/romance THE GORGE. Teller displays a deft comedic touch here as Larry schemes to “wreck the system” in order to win his lady’s heart. Plus, he scores some big laughs as he still thinks like an 80-year-old despite his youthful vigor. With the right script, Teller could carry an all-out farce. At the center of this “tug-of-war” is Olsen as the ever-flustered Joan. She’s more known for her dramatic fare, along with being part of the MCU, so it’s great to see Olsen taking a chance in this genre. Like Larry, she’s in the “old soul/young body” dilemma, though she’s not given enough “shtick” before Joan is being torn by the big choice. The other fella’ turning up the heat is the more stoic Luke, played by Turner as more of a “fish out of water”, being a man from the 1950s dealing with a duo from the next century. Plus, he’s more grounded since he’s been in this “zone” a very long time. Rather than joining in the gags, Turner conveys a smouldering intensity in order to make Larry “step up his game”. Oscar-winner Randolph as Anna has a nice snarky delivery while doing a great slow burn as Larry really gets on her “last nerve” despite her eternal tenure. She’s a nice contrast to Early as the rival AC, who displays a prim but perky aggressiveness which irritates Anna. Also of note is the funny deadpan performance by Ryan Beil as Fenwick, the bored ticket taker at the “museum of memories”.

The assured, steady direction is by David Freyne, who also worked on the script with Patrick Cunnane. He keeps the pace flowing for most of the first half, and giving this fantasy backdrop a grounded look, combining elements of a sales convention (lots of reps recruiting) and a massive vacation hotel (I was reminded of the interior wall of room inside the Luxor in Vegas). Somehow he keeps us focused on the trio, forgoing any flashy effects and camera techniques. And then the big “lull’ occurs at the midway point, just as we should be more invested in the big conflict. It just seems to run out of “juice”. Maybe more bits of satire were needed in the script since most of the “other worlds” are mentioned and tossed aside (I will say that the best joke concerns a world that’s unavailable due to its appeal to women, and I’m not talking about a “Chippendale’s World”). By the final act, we’re just reminded of the much better realized afterlife rom/coms like the 70s HEAVEN CAN WAIT and especially Albert Brooks’ DEFENDING YOUR LIFE. It’s a shame because the three lead actors are really trying to make the premise work, but when the jokes wear thin and the producers try to pluck at our heartstrings, this time spent at the multiplex really does feel like an ETERNITY.

2 Out of 4

ETERNITY opens in theatres on Wednesday, November 26, 2025