‘Eternity’: Tender love after life

This film is a thought-provoking whacky comedy about choices in the afterlife. Joan Cutler (Elizabeth Olsen), recently deceased, has one week to decide with whom she wants to spend her afterlife with. She has two choices: Luke (Callum Turner), the handsome husband who died in the Korean War just as they were beginning their life together, or Larry (Miles Teller) , the ordinary, slightly eccentric one she was married to for 65 years.

The film begins with Larry (Barry Primus) and Joan (Betty Buckley), in their eighties, driving their way to a family party. Joan is dying of cancer, but it’s Larry who kicks the bucket first.

The narrative jumps to an afterlife hotel where the recently deceased make their choices for the journey ahead. The deceased return to the happiest version of themselves, hence there are mostly young people around.

Afterlife coordinators Anna and Ryan (Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early) explain the options and tell them to choose wisely because they have only one choice and that is final. The coordinators are competitive about helping their wards, complicating the situation. Larry and Luke are now in direct competition to win Joan’s affections.

While the people involved are unsure of making the right choices, it’s quite a romp to watch them going about trying to decide. The narrative is replete with quirky set-ups, witty moments and imaginative ideas. There are a variety of choices in the afterlife. There are archive centres for the deceased to watch the highlights from their lives.

While Luke had only a week’s wait, Larry has been awaiting Joan’s arrival at the junction for 67 years. Joan, of course, is deeply affected when she sees her handsome first love, but Larry is baffled by the turn of events.

Joan’s decision-making process is the key to most comic moments here. Humour spurts from her own confused logic and the tricks the guys use to win her favour.

This romcom is surprisingly light and easy on the senses. The screenplay by Patrick Cunnane and David Freyne is developed well to generate laughs. The runtime is perfect. There is no drag and though the narrative veers into familiar territory, using done-to-death tropes and cliches, it has a refreshing twist. The myriad twists and turns are also quite relatable.

Cinematographer Ruairi O’Brien aids in creating an Eternity that is richly colourful and conspicuously dramatic. Olsen does well to hit the right notes with a performance that suggests age but looks youthful. Teller as Larry is equally at ease, suggesting the same. He becomes the obvious loser because Joan gets bedazzled by her first love.

Callum Turner remains young throughout and this puts him at a disadvantage. Other than his amiable looks, there’s nothing much to commit to there. Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s impeccable timing has a beauty all its own. She is undoubtedly the prize performer here.

The theatrics are kept to a bare minimum. There’s no schmaltzy or tiresome routines to sit through. This is simple old-fashioned storytelling that smartly tickles the funny bone without going over the top.