This one was on my radar for a while as it felt like Hollywood had taken a lesson finally in creating more unique stories and not caring for the sequel and franchise potential (though it is also worth mentioning here that this is an A24 film and all credit is due given they tend to create more unique stories). Letting a film just be a film that comes and goes after telling its story. While it still features a big cast, particularly Miles Teller, I knew that this would be a film worthy of checking out at the least. Its concept was something that instantly stood out to me with the trailer: a narrative that explores the concept of a couple that claim they want to spend eternity together. The concept of love and the phrase "Til death do us part". When people die in Eternity, they're taken to a place in which they're given a week to decide where exactly they'd like to spend their eternity.
Though, to no surprise, when deciding where you would like to spend eternity, you look at who you would like to spend that eternity with. The film starts with an elderly couple attending a gender reveal party, the woman soon to be revealed as quite sick. Upon arriving the party, the elderly man begins to choke on some food, to which he wakes up on a train a little confused. The comedy side of the film is already present as it shows the ways in which people react to having died at particular moments. Some from parachute accidents, some from surgeries gone wrong. Though upon dying, you return to an appearance where you were most happy in life. Rather than ending up in the after life in whatever state you were in upon death. Well, our Larry soon discovers he is dead, to which he refuses to believe it. Within this space, which isn't quite the full after life, it serves as a place between where people often linger. Where some haven't accepted death yet and are effectively working a life within the 'junction'.
With his sick wife finally dying and ending up in the same place, the film's main premise unfolds: she meets her first husband, that had died many decades before. And he had been waiting in this place for 60 years for her to join him. Thus brings that dilemma: who does she choose to spend eternity with? It sounds like quite a horrible scenario for sure, but for a film premise the comedic elements definitely make it a more enjoyable experience. On one hand one might even consider this to be more of a horror film based on its events without that comedy! Imagine dying, assuming you'd spend your eternity with your loved on, only for them to meet the person before you and start questioning who they should choose! I think for this type of comedy Miles Teller is a perfect fit though, he really sells the main character. With that more deadpan delivery that he can have in his roles. I think he's an actor that really suits this sort of performance.
The anxiety inducing narrative pushes the film into a competition between the two men as they take turns trying to win her over for eternity, and these scenes are truly something difficult to watch. And I say that with great praise for it. This is a nightmare scenario for anyone, and the competitive nature that it pursues really creates some stress. While that is of course its intent, it is harder to see this as a romance genre film and more as a horror masked with romance. Especially in the moments in which the two compete in various ways against each other, trying to find the reasons and ways they made the woman fall for them in the first place. Growing more desperate and more stressful closer to a decision being made. Through all of this, this is a film that is made very well. I really liked the way the after life environments were displayed. The concept of their eternities in different spaces. There's a filmic look in the cinematography too, with some oval anamorphic (as usual, the Hawk anamorphic lenses in use) looking bokeh that of course adds to a slightly more 'otherworldly' atmosphere. Though this was also shot on 35mm film stock, which is another surprise in this era for a film of decent budget.
Despite this being a stressful watch, I actually really enjoyed it. It reminded me a little bit of shows like Ghosts and The Good Place. It was a simple but refreshing narrative and that's something we've been missing within the world of Hollywood for well over a decade. More stories like this, please!
