One of the Best Romances of 2025 Is Apple TV’s Most-Watched Film Right Now

It’s disappointing that, despite an expressed interest by audiences in seeing original films, it's a rarity to see success for titles not based on previously established material. Eternity is the type of film that the industry needs more of, and not just because it's a new take on the concept of the afterlife; it’s a romantic comedy that is as funny as it is emotional, and feels like the type of film that could have been just as successful at any other point in history. A24 had several great films in 2025 that, while deserving of praise, were intense and aimed at more arthouse cinephiles. While that’s not to say that Eternity isn’t well-crafted and made with passion, it represents the type of genuine crowdpleaser that doesn’t cheat in making heartfelt moments.

Eternity has a premise that might seem familiar to fans of The Good Place and Defending Your Life because the film takes place in the afterlife, where deceased people reawaken in a train station that presents them with options on where to spend the rest of their existence. It’s only shortly after the elderly man Larry (Miles Teller) dies from choking that he finds himself reverted to his likeness as a younger man, and awaits the arrival of Joan (Elizabeth Olsen), his wife of 65 years. The situation becomes more complicated when the couple meets with Luke (Callum Turner), Joan’s first husband, who died during the Korean War. Even for those who are sick of love triangle movies, Eternity asks existential questions while utilizing the comedic timing of its stars.

‘Eternity’ Is a Clever Reinvention of a Familiar Genre

Eternity stands out in its depiction of the afterlife because the film suggests that the decisions people make in life color what they do when they pass on. The notion that the characters are able to choose which “eternity” best suits them is not only encompassing of different schools of faith, but an interesting concept that allows for some clever worldbuilding. It’s while he waits for Joan that Larry is assigned the afterlife coordinator Anna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who is tasked with preparing him for his next steps. Randolph is a terrific comedic presence who gets some of the film’s best lines and is the rare character who wants to do whatever is in Larry’s best interests, even if he is lacking in confidence. Simply having a character like Anna makes it more entertaining for Eternity to explain the rules of its universe, and it’s even better thanks to the equally funny performance by John Early as Ryan, the afterlife coordinator for Joan.

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The love triangle in Eternity works because the film questions if there is such a thing as a true soul mate, given that Joan was completely devoted to both men at different points in her life. Nothing will ever stop the feeling of being in love for the first time, and the experience of living out eternity with Luke is compelling to Joan, given that he died a hero and was never allowed the chance to experience true happiness. However, her relationship with Larry was durable enough to last 65 years, and he doesn’t have anyone else to “fall back” on because he never had another romance in his life that was as strong. The tension works because neither Larry or Luke ends up feeling like the villain; both characters are charismatic and likable, and it's entirely believable that Joan would actually have a difficult time choosing between them. It also helps that Larry and Luke don’t despise each other in a nasty way, and end up having a lot in common because of the type of kind-hearted lovers that Joan has appreciated.

‘Eternity’ Is an Example of Old-Fashioned Star Power

The screenplay by Pat Cunnane and director David Freyne is incredibly sharp and filled with terrific one-liners, but Eternity is a great showcase for the talents of its three leads. Teller and Olsen are given an unusual task of playing elderly characters who have been reverted to their younger bodies, an experience that is as exciting as it is confusing. It’s remarkable how believable they are as a bickering couple who have known each other for so long that they finish each other’s sentences, and Teller in particular, is cast against type as a sweeter, tender character than the more aggressive roles he’s played in the past. Turner does a great job expressing how different Luke’s experiences are based on when he died; in the nearly seven decades since his death, he has missed many popular culture references and still speaks in a classical way that resembles the mannerisms of classic movie stars from the 1950s. The themes are certainly universal, but there is a specific needle drop involving Dean Martin that gives the film one of its biggest laughs.

Although Eternity was moderately successful at the box office and received mostly positive reviews, the industry would do itself a favor by making these types of high-concept comedies on a regular basis. The budgetary parameters ensured that Eternity found creative ways of expressing its larger-than-life ideas, and it impressively managed to provide a definitive solution to Joan’s dilemma without completely diminishing either of her suitors. To describe Eternity as a “feel-good” film isn’t pejorative, especially when there is so much care in maximizing the fullest potential of the ideas. While Eternity and other original films like it need to be celebrated and cultivated while in theaters, its availability on streaming will hopefully open it up to an audience that missed it the first time.

Eternity is available to stream on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

Release Date November 26, 2025

Runtime 114 minutes

Director David Freyne

Writers David Freyne, Pat Cunnane

Producers Tim White, Trevor White