'Eternity' Review: A Whimsical Afterlife Romcom With Real Heart
- Jack Ransom
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Jack Ransom - December 12, 2025
A charming gem that I had seen a lot of positivity surrounding recently, and thankfully managed to catch it before it leaves the cinema. Eternity is a simultaneously familiar romcom outing in terms of its narrative conundrum, but gleefully unique and eccentric in its otherworldly afterlife setting.
What is Eternity about?
Eternity showcases an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with (Miles Teller) and her first love (Callum Turner), who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive.
Opening in the present day with an elderly couple heading to (and bickering about) a family gender reveal party. We find out Joan has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and Larry unfortunately chokes to death on a pretzel soon after they arrive. We awaken with him as his younger self (Teller) in a bustling hub of life, ironically, where he is constantly told to wait for his AC (Afterlife Coordinator) to assist him. From here (once Joan arrives), we properly meet Luke (Turner) and the competition for her everlasting affection begins.
Balancing Romance, Regret, and Comedy in Eternity
Over the course of under two hours we delve into all three characters history with one another as they take multiple trips down memory lane, express hidden away or previously bottled up feelings and showcase their love. The core tug of war that Joan faces is: with Larry, she has spent 65 years of marriage and grown a family with, but the excitement has somewhat faded, whereas with Luke, he was her first love and she never got to experience a lifetime with. It’s these existential and at times genuinely gut punching and emotionally weighty ideas that the film balances very effectively with the comedy.
A lot of the comedic beats and screwball antics centre around the afterlife waiting zone. I absolutely loved the way this is presented and it dabbles in fascinating and clever world building with a host of fresh and funny ideas. Arrivals have 7 days to pick their eternity (anyplace from smokers world, food world, museum world, queer world, the beach, mountains, Paris, 1930’s Germany - Minus the Nazi’s… if you want it, chances are you can have it), otherwise they have to stay and work at the afterlife and live in the basement apartments.
Visually the film is a joy. It pops with colour, has a variety of stylisation (though mostly opts for a retro 50’s aesthetic), the practical props and sets for the different eternity standees, the nostalgia and memory delving Archive tunnels and charming artificiality of the afterlife hotel rooms, all look excellent and really help the film craft a distinct visual style. The score dances along with wonder, and curiosity, yet also swells and tugs on the heart strings in the dramatic beats.
The cast is great here, with the lead trio having a snappy dynamic together. Elizabeth Olsen is the highlight both in the comedic moments (her wide eyed panic, confusion and opting for booze to help with her decision) as well as showcasing the gut punching scale of her choice, and the standout montage of her visiting the Archives. Miles Teller’s bumbling, sarcastic, persistent caring everyman and Callum Turner’s seemingly perfect, handsome, confident and dedicated soldier are a top counter to one another. Da’Vine Joy Randolph & John Early are a hilarious pairing as the AC’s who get caught up in this love tangle.
Why Eternity Stands Out as a Modern Romantic Comedy Treasure
Eternity is a breezy, heartfelt, funny and unique spin on familiar romcom beats. Standing out from the crowd with its immersive world, great cast, big ideas and simultaneously wholesome yet at times tear jerking atmosphere. Sure, the runtime is felt a tad in the third act, but this is the definition of a gem.
'Eternity' is out now in cinemas across the United Kingdom.
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