Eternity

Eternity is a film with a great idea that doesn’t quite reach the sum of its parts.

It’s a common thing. The hook is so good that you expect everything else just to fall into place. Unfortunately, it’s easy to notice where this hasn’t quite cohered.

It’s a shame as it really is a great idea and such an enjoyable film to watch. You’ll root for it, you’ll recommend it and it’s mostly delightful.

In a The Good Place-esque sci-fi depiction of the afterlife, Joan must choose between spending eternity with her husband of 65 years or her first husband, who died in war and has been waiting for her ever since.

As a rom-com, love triangle set up it sounds brilliant on paper.

Likewise, the invention, design and background jokes of this fantasy world are absolutely impeccable. It’ll keep you chuckling throughout.

The issue is shoehorning the machinations of the plot, the script and the inevitable holes around the fantastical concept.

It quickly starts to lose itself as the need for the plot to move forward arises and the joy of just luxuriating in the setting dissipates.

The concept starts to fail a little as the ‘old people as young people’ and endless, one-dimensional realities start to lose sense in your mind and the questions start to build up.

Some of the dialogue almost seems improv-ed at points, like the script just couldn't resolve itself adequately.

It feels incredibly harsh as it’s well-acted and, if not already mentioned enough, there’s just so much to like.

The tone, the detail, the aesthetic choices, the humour, the intent. It’s all there and there’s a classic film in here somewhere trying to get out.

It wears its influences well and is very enjoyable but just doesn’t quite work overall and isn’t quite as profound, heart-warming and funny as it perhaps could have been.

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