Written by Olivia Aiere
Eternity takes on the classic love triangle trope, through its look at love in the afterlifee and closely inspects notions of first loves and romance. In it, Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) must decide between Luke (Callum Turner), the husband she lost to war, and Larry (Miles Teller), the husband she spent 65 years with. Luke waited for her in the afterlife, hoping to reclaim the time they had lost while Larry is deciding to where they can both spend eternity when Joan arrives only a week after him. With both men hoping to spend eternity with her, Joan has a week to decide between her husbands. The resulting movie is delightfully funny.
In the same way The Good Place depicts the afterlife as appropriately ridiculous, Eternity pokes fun at the widely accepted concepts of heaven and hell. It doesn’t dive into the flaws of its own system the way The Good Place does, but the conflicts surrounding its system are addressed throughout. It acknowledges how overwhelming the decision of choosing a single version of eternity can be, but instead of philosophically deliberating over the system, it uses this permanence to create the conflict.
Olsen’s performance as Joan is similar to her performance in Wandavision as she plays a woman caught between love and grief. The themes of Wandavision are similar to those in Eternity, although Wandavision focuses more on grief and acceptance whereas Eternity looks at the many forms love can take. There’s always a little bit of Olsen in each of her roles, with her repeated mannerisms and distinct drawl. These characteristics not only make Joan feel familiar, but they also lend themselves perfectly to the age-reversion she experiences. In this afterlife, everyone returns to the age they were when happiest, and both Olsen and Teller perfect the elderly personas of their characters. Turner’s wistful charm as lover-boy Luke contrasts with Larry’s self-assured yet bumbling personality to make Joan’s indecision understandable. Da’Vine Joy Randolph balances comedic timing with just the right amount of nonchalant delivery, making Anna a standout character even amidst these three compelling leads.
Amidst the gray landscape of current cinematography, Ruairi O’Brien’s work in Eternity contains a visual softness that adds to the already quite comfortable atmosphere created by the production design. Lots of scenes take place in a terminal that makes use of soft-white lighting that gives warmth to the location. This look is quite refreshing in an original movie during a time when many sequels and remakes make use of cold, sterile lighting.
Feel-good romcoms seem few and far between these days, so it’s a relief that Eternity hits every mark. Torn between what could’ve been and the stability she knows, Joan’s journey reflects on the different forms of longing. It will make you cry, laugh, and smile, all while exploring what true love looks like.
