A24’s new romantic comedy, “Eternity,” starring Elizabeth Olsen and Miles Teller, poses a provocative question: what comes after life, and what choices await us in the afterlife? The film explores this concept through the story of a couple navigating eternity, but also serves as a commentary on the current state of Hollywood and audience preferences. As the industry shifts further toward blockbuster franchises, films like “Eternity” offer a unique, character-driven alternative, even as their box office prospects become increasingly challenging.
”Eternity” Also Reflects How the Film Industry Has Changed
COLUMN. What does life look like after we die?
Perhaps it’s like a high school fair where we’re expected to make a life-altering choice.
The new film, “Eternity,” makes us consider what was good before and what is good now.
The film, currently in theaters, is a romantic comedy that introduces us to an older couple, Larry and Joan, who have been married for 67 years and are now nearing the end of their lives. Joan’s passing is expected, as she is dying of cancer. Larry’s comes as a surprise when he chokes on a pretzel.
They soon discover they have something in common: there is life after death. You wake up on a train and arrive at a large station with a multitude of other recently deceased people. Once there, you’re assigned a counselor who explains it’s time to choose how you want to spend eternity.
Is MAGA World Right for You?
All those who have passed enter a massive exhibition hall where the various options are advertised. Do you like wine? Then Wine World might be for you. The film has fun with the choices and their consequences. One sign reads, for example, MAGA World, offering something for those so devoted to Trump’s movement that they want to spend eternity within it.
In another scene, someone tries to escape their choice, screaming “I don’t want to see another painting! It’s boring!” They had chosen the art museum as their eternity. Once a choice is made, it’s irreversible. They’re stuck with the paintings.
“Eternity” sparks the imagination and sets up interesting rules, such as arriving in the afterlife dressed in the clothes you died in, but physically appearing as you did at your happiest. Some arrive as children, others as thriving 35-year-olds.
A Changing Film World
The film stars Miles Teller and Elizabeth Olsen, delivering strong performances. But it also serves as a reminder of how much the film world has changed. The film’s thoughtful premise and charming performances are a welcome change of pace in a blockbuster-driven market.
I’m convinced that if “Eternity” had premiered in 1995, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan would have starred, and it would have grossed $200 million at the box office.
Now, it’s being released more quietly and will earn far less than 1990s numbers. These days, it’s difficult to attract audiences to this type of film, even though people often say that’s what they want to see instead of superheroes and sequels.
“Eternity” makes you feel a little nostalgic and wonder what was good then and what is good now.
In both life and in the film industry.
