Eternity stars Elizabeth Olsen as a woman who had two great loves in her life. After her death, she’s faced with a choice about where to spend eternity and with which one of her great loves.

Eternity is the second fantasy romance I’ve seen recently. The other was A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. Is this the start of a trend, or simply a coincidence that two movies stretching toward the unusual and different hit at about the same time?

Creaky elder Larry chokes on a pretzel and dies. He arrives by train at a busy place like Grand Central Station, but full of the newly dead. Now he’s 35 and played by Miles Teller. As his AC (Afterlife Coordinator) explains, everyone reverts to the moment when they were happiest when they die. His AC (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) explains the rules. He has a week to decide where to spend eternity. Once you choose from the multitude of eternities, there are no do overs.

He visits the bar run by Luke (Callum Turner) who explains that you can choose to stay in this place and not leave for an eternity. Luke has been there for 60+ years.

A couple days later Larry’s elderly wife Joan dies of terminal cancer. When she shows up she’s the young Elizabeth Olsen. Joan gets off the train, sees Larry, and then Luke comes running up. Luke was Joan’s first husband. He died in the Korean War. He’s spent all these years waiting for Joan and now she’s here.

Elizabeth Olsen is really good at making you believe she loves both these men. Her AC (John Early) informs her that she has a week to choose which of her husbands she will spend eternity with. There’s no heaven, there’s no hell. There’s the busy terminal where they sort out which eternity they want. There’s also the void – eternal darkness.

That’s the premise the film is built on. The impossible choice. Mixed with the comedy and confusion Joan faces in making a choice the two ACs push for their favorite. The ACs bend the rules a bit so Joan can have a day with each guy in a particular eternity.

Larry likes the beach and warm weather. Luke likes the mountains and cold weather. Larry wants Joan to be happy. Luke has waited decades for his turn.

Under the comic storyline of the film, there is serious thought given to what makes love last, what kind of love means the most, what difference family makes. It takes a stab at the idea of perfect love.

We declare when someone dies, “They will be waiting for you in heaven.” But life can be long and can contain more than one true love. What does that familiar axiom mean then?

I found the film funny, truthful, and an interesting treatise on love. I thought Da’Vine Joy Randolph was fabulous. I’d take her as my AC.

Eternity turns a film where everybody dies into a comedy, and still provides food for thought.

You can see this one on Apple TV+.