Eternity

ETERNITY is a thoughtful and thought provoking Dram-Com that takes a look at life after death, and what one woman faces in her eternal decision. A unique story and familiar faces make this a good date night, girls night, or any night watch on the big or little screen.

Synopsis: In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive. | 1h 52m | Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some strong language.

Viewers may struggle with the decision that our leading lady Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) has to make. Many will feel that the choice is obvious. Why would a woman choose to spend an eternity with a man she has not seen in 67 years (Luke – Callum Turner), who she had only spent a little time with. When compared to a man she spent her whole life with on Earth (Larry – Miles Teller). The one who knows her and who she has children and a lifetime of memories with.

Others may cling to the lost love aspect. Her first love stolen from her in her youth by war. Now getting a chance to find out the “what if”. A chance to live the life she never had the chance to. Whatever choice she makes it will be for eternity. Eternity is, well, forever. Do you risk it or go with the familiar? It really isn’t an easy choice. For Luke he has waited in limbo for sixty-seven years waiting for Joan to arrive. For Larry it is a life dedicated to the woman he loved.

This forever decision has to be done in seven days as they all wait in what can only be described as a silly heaven holding ground. A train station of sorts that delivers all the newly deceased folks. They are met there by a handler who will help them in their transition. A lot of the humor and lighter moments come from these handlers and how they try and get the dead to move along. Larry and Luke’s handlers Anna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) and Ryan (John Early) respectively have a side competition when it comes to who Joan will choose.

While Joan struggles with her choices we all get a chance to ponder the afterlife. In this script the departed can choose all sort of options. Beach life, mountains, Paris in the forties, nudist colonies, and hundreds of others. The only issue is that once you choose you can never leave that one or visit others. For eternity. That was the saddest part for me. In one conversation Larry asks if he can see his parents and the eternity they picked. He is told that he would have to stay there with them forever. He reacts as if that would be the worst. But for most, to be able to see the family that has one on would be special. I am probably taking this fantasy script too serious, but the thoughts do arise.

Elizabeth Olsen is smart casting. Even in what can be viewed as a romantic comedy, Olsen is able to bring the dramatic skills that grounds the film into something serious. While Luke and Larry can spar at each other in a lighter tone Joan is the one with the forever decision to make. We believe her sincerity and the struggle. Where other actresses may have played it more cutesy, Olsen instead brings layers of true emotion.

I will not spoil how it all wraps up. Joan does get the chance to spend a trial time with each in an eternity of their choice. They can glimpse moments from the past and reflect on first dates, and special life experiences. Not all memories are rosy and some drum up sad and hurtful feelings. That is the thing about life. It is not just the mountain tops that mold us, but the valleys and shadows of death that also make us who we are.

Bottom line

Though the synopsis and concept sounds heavy it is a light hearted film about love and what it means to live. How do we let go of the past and reconcile a life that wasn’t what we planned? Eternity has all that a cast to pull it off successfully.

About The Author

Matt Mungle

See author's posts