‘Eternity’ Review: Elizabeth Olsen’s PG-13 Afterlife Drama With Zero Heat (Patreon)

‘Eternity’ starring Elizabeth Olsen premiered at TIFF, and honestly—it’s getting barely any attention from fans. The movie itself is good, reviews are positive, but there’s one big problem. And in this post, I’ll break down everything: full plot plus sex/nudity details.

Plot

The story opens in the present day with elderly couple Joan and Larry Cutler, married for 67 years and living a modest suburban life. Joan (Elizabeth Olsen, aged up with makeup) is bedridden with terminal cancer, tended to by Larry (Miles Teller, also aged), who’s become a cranky, routine-obsessed widower-in-waiting.

In a darkly comic twist, Larry dies first—choking on a snack while watching TV—before Joan can pass. His soul arrives at the Junction, the afterlife’s central processing hub, a vibrant, airport-like place filled with ads for eternal paradises. Here, souls are restored to their “prime” age (around 35-40, vital and attractive), given one week to choose an eternity zone, and assigned an assistant. Fail to decide? You’re stuck working at the Junction forever.

Larry, now handsome and energetic, meets Anna (Randolph), a cheerful coordinator who explains the rules. Eternity zones include Casino World (endless gambling), Celebrity World (rubbing elbows with stars), Food World (gourmet bliss), Smokers’ World (no health issues), Studio 54 World (disco forever), Weimar World (pre-Nazi cabaret vibes), Capitalist World (infinite wealth), Infantilization Land (being pampered like a baby), Spice World (eternal Spice Girls concert), Paris Land (romantic Seine-side living), and Eternal Spring (mild-weather paradise). Larry, being practical, just wants to reunite with Joan and leans toward something simple like Mountain World. But Anna warns him—once chosen, there’s no going back.

Soon after, Joan dies and arrives at the Junction, restored to her radiant mid-30s self. She and Larry reunite in an emotional embrace. But then the drama begins: they spot Luke (Turner), a suave bartender at the Junction lounge, who’s been waiting 67 years just for Joan.

Flashbacks reveal Joan and Luke’s whirlwind romance as young 20-somethings—meeting at a dance hall, marrying impulsively, planning a glamorous future before Luke was killed in the Korean War. Their marriage annulled, Joan eventually settled with Larry, building a stable if unexciting life.

Now the love triangle explodes. Joan feels that old spark with Luke, while Larry senses her regrets. Joan’s assigned assistant, Ryan (Early), stirs trouble, hoping to score a promotion by pushing competing eternity plans.

Joan is granted two weeks to “test drive” her choices—one week with Luke, one with Larry, both in Mountain World. With Luke, it’s passion, hiking, stargazing, and youthful fire. With Larry, it’s quiet talks, family memories, and loyalty.

Subplots bring humor: Anna and Ryan bicker like co-workers fighting over commissions, the bureaucracy of the afterlife leads to absurd scenarios, and flashbacks highlight Joan’s life decisions—giving up art school for stability, raising kids, etc.

As the deadline approaches, tensions boil over. Luke offers adventure and passion. Larry insists real eternity is built on shared struggles and joys. In the end, Joan chooses Larry, realizing true love is in the life they actually built, not the fantasy.

The film closes on Joan and Larry in their mountain cabin, watching a sunset together. A post-credit gag shows Anna and Ryan flirting at the Junction bar.

Phew, that was a long plot.

Sex and Nudity

Here’s the big problem I mentioned earlier: the movie has nothing sexy for fans on adult pages to talk about. Just kisses, a little touching, and that’s it. No nudity, no sex, not even cleavage from Elizabeth Olsen.

As a huge Olsen fan, I honestly hope this movie flops. Now that she’s out of the MCU, she should be focusing on bold, unforgettable projects. Instead, she’s making PG-13 fluff like this.

And box office? I doubt it’ll do well. There’s nothing here to pull a wide audience into theaters.

Final Thoughts

Elizabeth Olsen really needs to step it up. She keeps picking projects that don’t excite anyone. Since Multiverse of Madness, she hasn’t made any real noise on the big screen or TV.

But—to end on a positive note—she has signed onto a truly erotic film with Kristen Stewart titled Flesh of the Gods. You can read about it [here]. It’s still in pre-production, so we’ll be waiting a while, but hopefully that’s where we finally see her wild side.