Cinema Scholars reviews A24’s Eternity, out of the Austin Film Festival 2025. The film is directed by David Freyne and stars Elizabeth Olsen and Miles Teller. Eternity hits theaters nationwide on November 26, 2025.
Introduction
Films about the afterlife have always been a mainstay in cinema. Obviously, horror owns the supernatural movie realm with endless depictions of ghosts and ghouls from the beyond. Other films in the subgenre naturally lean more toward the contemplative or dramatic—think Ghost or The Lovely Bones.
However, films about actual life after death tend to skew more toward the quirky. Movies like Defending Your Life, Beetlejuice, or even the television series The Good Place imagine our post-mortem reality in an offbeat way. No classic pearly gates here. Rather, these stories posit humanity’s interminable destiny as a whole new existence with a fresh set of challenges.
In the new dramedy Eternity, director David Freyne’s peculiar version of the hereafter begins with a layover at a holding station. In this purgatory, the deceased must choose their heavenly destination as well as their forever partner.
Synopsis
Larry and Joan have been married for decades. When they’re not bickering about the little things, they enjoy a full life surrounded by their children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren. When Larry suddenly dies at a family gathering, he is surprised to wake up on an unassuming passenger train heading to “The Junction.” Upon his arrival, Larry is greeted by his “afterlife coordinator,” Anna, who informs him that he has indeed passed on.
He learns that he must not only choose a final destination to live out the rest of his existence, but also decide with whom he will spend life eternal. A no-brainer for a man who only loved one woman. Per the one-week rule, Larry relocates to the more meager accommodations for those who are not ready to move on or are waiting on their loved ones to join them first. Soon, however, Larry learns that his beloved wife is on her way to the station sooner than anticipated.
Their reunion is sweet and typical of a couple who know each other implicitly and want to get on with things. That is, until Luke, Joan’s first husband, shows up. Sixty-seven years after the newlywed died in the Korean War, he is more than ready to be reunited with his bride. Now Joan faces the impossible task of choosing between the love of her life and the love she never got to live.
Discussion
Freyne, who also co-wrote Eternity with Patrick Cunnane, does an excellent job making light of such deep and dreaded subject matter. Humorous gags, whimsical production design, and people getting to be young again help balance out the heavy context as well as the unfairness of Joan’s predicament.
Among the many comedic moments, a heavenly trade show that reads more like a kink convention than afterlife options brings the laughs. There’s Space World, Paris Land, Man Free World, Studio 54 World, and even Smoking World (“Where cigarettes can’t kill you twice!”). Apparently, there’s something for everyone after you depart The Junction.
As with many depictions of the great beyond, a typical motley crew of recently deceased makes for a few giggles, too. The gowned patient, realizing they didn’t make it out of surgery, or the guy who choked to death, both are confused about where they are and where they’re going.
Thankfully, this version doesn’t go full-Burton with gratuitous but (funny?) deaths. Additionally, the narrative keeps it original by making each character appear at their ideal age when they arrive at The Junction. Hence, the reason you might see a bunch of kids and thirty-somethings, but no teenagers.
Though these examples of comic relief in Eternity aren’t exactly knee-slapping, the chuckles and knowing nods they elicit keep the potential melodrama of the narrative in check. When it’s time for that sentimental punch, however, Freyne doesn’t hold back. He boldly captures Joan’s tear-jerking emotional rollercoaster right up to the story’s bittersweet conclusion/continuation.
Performances
Miles Teller channels his best dawdling old man into the film’s protagonist, Larry. Though his character’s re-found youth negates the need for a physical performance, Teller casually conveys the mannerisms of an older gentleman in a younger body through endearing delivery and cadence. Aside from the idiosyncrasies Teller adopts, he also takes on a rainbow of feelings as Larry accepts the unexpected situation. Though he is not perfect, Larry’s emotional arc is familiar and heartbreaking thanks to Teller’s heartfelt portrayal.
Elizabeth Olsen’s special brand of wide-eyed shock was made for Joan. With the face of an angel and a disarming alto voice, Olsen is the perfect choice to embody a character in such a profound quandary. The careful range of emotion Olsen conveys makes you understand why Joan must seriously consider her options.
Olsen practically wears the painful loss and the guilty feelings after Luke’s death. Yet Olsen also keeps it light by evoking a woman born in the 30s in a 30-year-old body with clueless grandma-isms and old school affectations. Whether or not you agree with her vacillating, you can’t help but love Joan thanks to Olsen’s charming take.
In another pitch-perfect supporting role, Da’Vine Joy Randolph is mastering the real-talking sidekick. Whether it’s a sassy assistant, a ride-or-die bridesmaid, or a wise-cracking afterlife concierge, Randolph always steals the show. As Anna, Randolph gets to flex a little more emotion with a caring but realistic rendering of Larry’s afterlife coordinator. Anna actually gets her own mini-evolution. This allows Randolph a chance to show us more than just the usual snark we love.
Conclusion
A feeling of nostalgia permeates every frame thanks to Eternity Production Designer Zach Myers. A mish-mash of style eras coalesce into a generic mid-century aesthetic with retro-futuristic elements. While things might look slightly dated in The Junction, the overall look lends an air of familiarity befitting a hub in the hereafter.
Eternity is a story about a life lived and the unrealized dreams and imperfections that go with it. A quirky premise, lovable characters, and an overall lighthearted energy save the story from total bleakness. Joan’s plight is unthinkable, with no truly right answer, except what ultimately feels authentic for her. In the end, Eternity is the epitome of bittersweet, leaving you kind of happy, but kind of depressed at the same time.
Eternity hits theaters nationwide on November 26, 2025.
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