REVIEW — “Eternity”

A charming, rare gem of a film, Eternity is a divinely funny, cleverly original and heartbreakingly romantic journey into forever.

Directed by David Freyne and co-written by Freyne and Pat Cunnane, Eternity is a comedic tearjerker from A24 that stars Miles Teller and Elizabeth Olsen as Larry and Joan, a classic, old married couple whose love language is bickering. When tragedy strikes the elderly couple, they awaken on a train in the afterlife in their younger bodies: the image of their most happiest self.

In Eternity, the afterlife is envisioned as a retro trade show located at a train station terminal. Complete with a cheesy 70s aesthetic, the terminal is filled with rows of booths featuring pushy pitchmen attempting to recruit new souls to their specific paradise. Indeed, the film offers an infinite amount of eternal options for souls to choose between, such as WinterLand, Mall World, Workout World, or Larry’s preferred Tropical Beach Paradise. However, the film’s rules are quite strict: souls only have one week to decide where to spend eternity, and there are no take backs or do-overs. Any attempt to escape your eternity results in banishment to the Void, a place absent of light and consumed in eternal darkness — the film’s version of hell.

After Larry and June reach the afterlife terminal, they are soon introduced to their ACs, a pair of impatiently competitive Afterlife Coordinators fabulously played by John Early and Da’Vine Joy Randolph with passive-aggressive glee. They are both assigned to the couple’s case with the goal of helping them choose which paradise they can both agree on. For old married couples, it’s hard enough to choose where to eat for dinner, much less where you both want to spend all of eternity.

However, there is a slightly bigger issue: June’s first husband, Luke (Callum Turner), who died young in the Korean War, has been waiting 67 years in the afterlife for June to arrive so they can finally be together. An absolute dreamboat, Luke’s sudden appearance and unbelievably romantic gesture creates a surprising moral quandary for June, and a big problem for Larry.

Having waited decades to reunite with his long lost love, Luke offers a level of commitment and self-sacrifice that Larry has trouble competing with. As Larry’s adversary for June’s hand in the everafter, Turner injects the character with swoon-worthy earnestness, passion, and aw-shucks charisma that puts stuck-in-his-ways Larry on his heels, creating a hilariously competitive dynamic between the two actors.

Caught in the middle of forever and a hard place, Olsen is as endearing as ever as a tormented, guilt-stricken wife faced with the devastating dilemma of staying with her stubborn-but-loyal husband or getting a second chance at the life (and love) she lost. The graceful and expressive actress delivers a magnificent, wide-eyed performance that runs the gamut of so many bewildering and overwhelming emotions, from startled confusion to teary-eyed joy.

As Larry, an old curmudgeon of a husband who loves to complain,Teller gets to return to his comedic character actor roots. He is fantastic as the film’s anchor and exhibits the most growth in the film, from stubborn selfishness to reflective compassion. His character slowly grows on you and becomes someone worth rooting for.

While the circumstances are played for laughs, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Because the film’s rules of the afterlife are extremely strict. One week to pick eternity seems completely unfair. Paradise should be what you want it to be, not bound by harsh rules and regulations just because it’s always been done that way.

Fortunately, the powers that be bend the rules to allow June an opportunity to sample what her eternity would be like with either man in their respective destination. And so it becomes Larry versus Luke for June‘s eternal company. As the two men go about courting her again, emotions bubble up, forcing her to ask herself the tough questions that we often ignore in life: Am I truly happy with my life, my marriage? Did I settle? What if I got a second chance? After all, eternity is a long time to have regrets.

A grandscale adventure through forever, Eternity is a film full of big ideas, laughs and emotions that actually takes you along for a wildly imaginative ride through time and space. Think The Good Place meets The Notebook. Impressively creative and extremely funny, Eternity is a great date movie and a timeless, feel-good tearjerker that will leave goosebumps on your heart. I highly recommend going on this absolutely hysterical, delightfully romantic, and wonderfully original journey. Eternity is one of the best movies of the year. Get your tissues ready. 4/5

Rated PG-13 with a running time of 1 hour and 54 minutes, Eternity opens only in theaters on November 26, 2025.