‘Eternity’ Review: Olsen, Teller, and Turner Elevate A24’s Tender and Inventive Afterlife Romance

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Sep 11

Written By Jonathan P. Moustakas

Elizabeth Olsen leads a witty, wistful afterlife romance that ponders love, legacy, and what comes next.

It’s rare to find a high-concept romantic comedy that feels both whimsical and wise, but Eternity lives up to its title by tapping into something timeless. Premiering at TIFF 2025 as part of the Gala Presentations, this afterlife-set A24 gem stars Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, and Callum Turner in a love story that spans life, death, and everything in between. Written by Pat Cunnane and David Freyne (who also directs), Eternity asks what happens when your past and present collide in the most unexpected of places: the afterlife.

The premise is a charmer. Larry (Miles Teller) dies peacefully in old age and arrives in a dreamlike limbo styled like a cosmic train depot. As he prepares to choose his forever—from endless beach days to the politically tantalizing Marxist World (which, hilariously, is overbooked)—he's blindsided by the arrival of his beloved wife Joan (Elizabeth Olsen), who has just died herself. Their reunion would be touching, if not for one twist: Joan’s first husband, Luke (Callum Turner), the dashing young pilot who died in the Korean War, is also waiting for her. And he’s been patiently bartending in the Junction (Eternity’s version of Grand Central) ever since.

With this charming setup, Eternity pits two marriages against each other in a spiritual rom-com that feels like a metaphysical episode of The Good Place mixed with the emotional undercurrents of Past Lives. The film doesn’t just revel in its cleverness; it asks deeply human questions. Can love forged over decades of companionship compete with the lingering spark of first love? Is a life of stability less worthy than one cut short by tragedy?

Olsen is perfectly cast as Joan, a woman caught between two versions of her past. Her performance, alternately fluttery and firm, grounds the film’s more fantastical moments. She gives Joan interiority, dignity, and just enough chaos to make her indecision believable. Callum Turner leans into his golden-boy image but lets Luke's insecurity peek through. Miles Teller, in a role that could have been thankless, finds quiet strength in Larry’s ordinariness. He becomes the steady heartbeat of the film, the guy who doesn’t ask for fireworks but offers something deeper.

Supporting turns from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early as afterlife consultants provide comic relief without undercutting the film’s melancholy core. Randolph brings warmth and authority; Early is pure deadpan chaos, balancing the film’s tonal shifts with grace. Their scenes add texture to a film that, despite its spiritual setting, is more about earthly regrets and romantic what-ifs than divine intervention.

Visually, Freyne does a lot with a little. The set design is minimalist but evocative, and the use of memories as dioramas is both emotionally resonant and budget-friendly genius. The score, light on its feet but emotionally responsive, carries the film through its tonal transitions.

Eternity does occasionally circle the same emotional territory. Joan’s indecision can feel repetitive, and the afterlife logic is hand-wavy at best. But the film earns these indulgences by staying true to its characters and resisting the urge to over-explain. It’s a story about uncertainty, after all. Life doesn’t come with an instruction manual; why should the next life?

There is something quietly radical about Eternity's existence. In an era overrun by IP, sequels, and cinematic universes, here is a film that dares to be original. It doesn’t chase viral moments or franchise hooks. Instead, it offers a compact, well-told story about the complexities of love, the meaning of partnership, and the tender absurdity of the human condition. It trusts the audience to lean in.

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That trust pays off. By the time Joan makes her decision, it feels both inevitable and surprising. There are no cheap tricks, no manipulative score swells, just the honest ache of moving on and the strange comfort of being remembered.

If Eternity isn’t quite as sharp as Defending Your Life or as emotionally ravaging as Past Lives, it still carves out its own worthy space. Its charm is quiet but lasting, like the kind of love that sneaks up on you and never really lets go.

Rating: ★★★★☆

That's a Wrap

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Eternity

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That's a Wrap | Eternity |

“Witty, wistful, and surprisingly grounded, Eternity is a refreshing original that balances its cosmic concept with emotional intimacy. Olsen, Teller, and Turner deliver poignant turns in a film that makes room for laughter, longing, and the liminal spaces in between.”

— Jonathan P. Moustakas

Credits

Screened: Saturday, September 7 | TIFF Gala Presentation
Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, Callum Turner, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, John Early
Distributor: A24
Writer/Director: David Freyne (Director/Co-Writer), Pat Cunnane (Co-Writer)
Release Date: November 26 (US Theatrical)
Rating: PG-13