'Eternity' Review

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Release Date: 11/26/25 [Cinemas]

Genre: Comedy. Crime. Drama. Fantasy. Romance.

MPAA: Rated PG13.

Distributor: A24.

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The Verdict: A Maybe

We’ve all pondered what happens when we die, and I’m sure we’ve all seen movies that explore this question; many come to mind, but the one that’s most precinct while watching Eternity is Albert Brook’s Defending Your Life. The dark comedy’s romance feels like a blueprint towards the love triangle in the center of Eternity. Larry, one day, dies in his old age, and his wife Joan soon follows. In the afterlife they have a week to decide, among many destinations, where to spend eternity. However, Larry soon finds that Joan’s first husband Luke has stuck around waiting for Joan in an attempt to spend eternity with her. 

While Defending Your Life depicts the afterlife as a bureaucratic purgatory, Eternity’s afterlife is more like an airport purgatory. Wondering around with an intention to go somewhere, but never deciding where to go. Luke has stayed in this purgatory by securing a job as a bartender while he waits for Joan in the afterlife, and when she arrives there’s reminiscence on their past as a couple. Of course, he gets the devastating reality; Joan had moved on and married Larry. This dynamic between the trio is interesting, however director David Freyne, despite all the exceptional art direction, never takes the step further with the concept that the film desperately needs to take. 

Miles Teller, Callum Turner, and Elizabeth Olsen are all charming actors in their own right, but when grouped together there’s surprisingly no sparks. Not even a jolt. As the second act gets rolling, the film just feels frustratingly dull. Its character work never reaches the heights of the wonderful art direction the film presents. It all feels so stiff and inert with this love triangle. So, seeing absolutely no chemistry between three very charming actors is just disappointing. The script puts them in basic situations that offer no introspection. While its attempts at humor are often annoying though there are few good ones in there. 

Though I did enjoy most parts of Eternity, I must say I’m still pretty disappointed with it. I love the visual presentation here, but the characters and situations feel so stripped down and basic for its concept and genre. The performances are good, but so restricted from breaking out due to the script never taking the extra step for these characters to really stand out.

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