Elizabeth Olsen stars in “Eternity,” A24’s whimsical afterlife romance where Joan must choose between two husbands. A charming, clever fantasy with heart.

“Eternity” Review: Elizabeth Olsen Leads a Charming, Clever Afterlife Love Triangle in A24’s Whimsical Fantasy

A24’s latest release, “Eternity,” offers a refreshingly imaginative spin on the afterlife by diving into one of the oldest dilemmas known to romantic storytelling: the love triangle. But in this case, the triangle doesn’t end with death — it actually begins there. Elizabeth Olsen stars as Joan Cutler, a woman who finds herself at a surreal crossroads where she must decide who she wants to spend eternity with. The twist? Both of her husbands are waiting for her on the other side.

The film blends high-concept fantasy with an offbeat sense of humor, producing a story that’s part screwball comedy, part tender meditation on love and life. Directed by David Freyne and written by Patrick Cunnane, “Eternity” is both visually playful and emotionally grounded, thanks to an outstanding cast and a world that feels delightfully unpredictable.

A Love Triangle That Survives Beyond Death

Joan, newly deceased, arrives in a bizarre in-between world called the Junction — a sort of cosmic hotel-meets-convention center where the dead are given a week to choose their eternal afterlife. But she isn’t alone.

Waiting for Joan is Luke (Callum Turner), her handsome first husband who died in the Korean War before the couple had the chance to build a life together. Also at the Junction is Larry (Miles Teller), her second husband, who spent 65 years by her side through marriage, routine, aging, and illness.

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In life, Joan and Larry were an older couple steady in habit, quick to bicker, and quietly devoted — but exhausted by decades of familiarity. Their marriage was filled with affection and annoyance in equal measure. And just as Joan’s health declines from cancer, Larry dies unexpectedly, reaching the afterlife before her.

Luke, meanwhile, has been in limbo for decades, waiting for the chance to reunite with the woman he loved and lost. When Joan arrives in the Junction, he’s still the young, vibrant man she remembers. Both men want her to choose them — and she has only seven days to decide.

The Junction: A Playful Afterlife Marketplace

One of the film’s most entertaining elements is its vision of the afterlife. The Junction looks like a drab, brutalist conference center with flickering lights, laminated directories, and a staff of quirky Afterlife Coordinators (or “ACs”). The film’s standout comedic performances come from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early, who play the two ACs guiding Joan, Larry, and Luke through the process.

Newly deceased souls shop around for their personalized eternity:

• Paris Land
• Studio 54 World
• Mountain Town
• Weimar World — with 100% fewer Nazis, as the ACs proudly clarify

Every option is hyper-specific and delightfully absurd, and the film uses these choices to build a satirical universe that echoes classics like Defending Your Life while still feeling entirely fresh.

There’s also a charming “Titanic logic” at play — souls return to the happiest version of themselves. Joan and Larry appear again in their youthful bodies. Anna (Randolph) even jokes that this is why the Junction is overflowing with carefree ten-year-old boys but noticeably lacking teenagers.

A Difficult Decision for a Life Fully Lived

Joan’s dilemma is instantly compelling:
Should she choose the man she built a lifetime with, or the man she never had the chance to live out that lifetime with?

Larry represents loyalty, commitment, and the quiet, unglamorous work of sustaining a partnership. Teller delivers a surprising, deeply human performance as a man who assumed Joan would naturally choose him — and is stunned by the emotional weight of her reunion with Luke.

Luke, meanwhile, embodies passion frozen in time. Turner plays him with the glowing charm of a romantic hero who never had to face the grind of real married life. His idealism is sweet but also naïve; he doesn’t consider that Joan’s life — and heart — continued long after he died.

For Joan, being young again emotionally reopens old chapters. She revisits forgotten freedoms, laughs at rediscovered physical abilities, and feels pulled in two emotional directions. Olsen’s performance evokes a warm, nostalgic Diane Keaton energy — witty, slightly frazzled, and irresistibly vulnerable.

The Film’s Charm Lies in Its Gentle Complexity

While “Eternity” leans into comedy and whimsy, it also asks meaningful questions:

• What defines a life well lived?
• Does love’s depth come from intensity or longevity?
• Can anyone be reduced to only one great love?

The script occasionally lingers too long on the binary choice between Luke and Larry, delaying the possibility that Joan could choose herself. But the film’s sincerity and lightness keep the story from feeling constrained.

A Sweet, Clever Crowd-Pleaser

“Eternity” succeeds not because it reinvents the afterlife fantasy genre, but because it embraces its own quirky simplicity. The stakes are cosmic, yet the tone remains gentle and humorous, and the central love triangle feels grounded in real emotional truth.

The result is a bright, inventive, and heartfelt film with just enough depth to leave viewers reflecting on their own relationships — without ever losing its comedic spark.

“Eternity”

• Studio: A24
• Rating: PG-13 for sexual content and some strong language
• Runtime: 112 minutes
• Release: In theaters Wednesday
• Review Score: ★★★ out of ★★★★