Eternity
The new film from A24 and Scottish director David Freyne is a Christmas joy. Eternity is an earnest attempt at answering some of life’s biggest questions: where do we go after we die, what does true happiness look like, and who would you choose between Miles Teller and Callum Turner? Despite these sweeping dilemmas, Eternity feels sweetly simple. It focuses on the two love stories at hand, driven by magnetic performances from everyone on screen. Led by a wonderful Elizabeth Olsen, the movie is disarmingly funny, visually stunning, and full of heart. The heart (and the feature) may be messy at times, but it’s honest, and how it should be.
When Joan wakes up on a train and realises she has died, she may have thought things couldn’t get any worse. She would be wrong. After reuniting with her week-long-gone husband Larry (Teller), it is explained to her that she must choose one dream world in which she would spend eternity. Once she chooses, there is no going back. And then, in a scene laced with mad bliss, her first husband, Luke (Turner), appears. Luke had waited for her all that time so that he could choose an eternity with her. Swoon. Joan must make what seems like an impossible decision: her first love, all encompassing and cut way too short, or her 65-year-long marriage, with all that they shared.
Eternity is gorgeous to look at. Even when inside the Junction (the warehouse where they must choose), the colour and movement are dizzying and alive. Technicolour sunsets and warm, rich bar haunts, it is an in-your-face beauty. The score lends a further enchantment, pulling from big romances like The Notebook, even It’s a Wonderful Life, in its storytelling.
Without a doubt, though, the most memorable part of this story is its cast and their chemistry. Da’Vine Joy Randolph is an undeniable superstar. She commands every scene she is in, earnest, joyful, and captivating. Coupled with Teller, the two are genuinely hilarious. John Early is equally as entertaining, pulling laughs you didn’t know were coming. Turner possesses a gravitas so rare that it’s actually quite difficult to look at him; his entrance scene alone elicited gasps around the room. And, of course, Olsen captures your heart.
Eternity is a lovely little film that does exactly what it sets out to do: tell a story of love in all its forms. Bolstered by a close-knit cast and lush cinematography, it’s a beautiful watch.
Talitha Stowell
Eternity is released nationwide on 5th December 2025.
Watch the trailer for Eternity here:
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