Originally published to FOX5 Vegas on Aug. 13, 2025.

This holiday season, A24 has graced us with an honest-to-goodness romantic comedy unbound by franchises or sequels — just a good, old-fashioned romcom. A palate cleanser to be sure, Eternity stars Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen and Callum Turner as the subjects of an ethereal conundrum: when granted the chance to choose who to spend the afterlife with, do you remain with the partner who shared your decades or the first love lost too soon?

Despite its potentially weighty premise, Eternity stays remarkably buoyant. The film never sinks under its own metaphysical questions, thanks largely to the light, effortless performances from its leads. Teller, Olsen, and Turner each inhabit well-defined characters, with Teller’s Larry carrying much of the film’s emotional and developmental load.

Olsen shines as Joan, an octogenarian who finds herself in a thirtysomething’s body — a familiar trope, but handled with care and charm. Turner brings presence and heat as Luke, the impossibly magnetic first love whose appeal is universally acknowledged on screen.

Notable additions come from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early, who portray afterlife coordinators. They manage a significant portion of the comic relief, and it works quite well to balance out the sometimes-serious subject matter.

If there’s a complaint in this breath of fresh air of a film, it would be that Eternity runs a little long, or rather that it feels like it does. Indeed, there are probably 10 minutes of fat around the edges that could have been trimmed out of the 114-minute runtime.

Credit should be given to the film’s cinematography, which is practical, colorful and interesting. Likewise to the score by David Fleming. Sometimes whimsical, sometimes poignant, but always nimble and never in the way, each element engrosses the audience into a concept that could have become daunting otherwise.

Ultimately, Eternity is a delight — a reminder of the thoughtful, theatrically released romantic comedies that have become too rare. Timeless in theme and confident in craft, it’s a film well worth the time and price of admission.