Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, is a film that presents itself as a gentle, witty character study, only to reveal itself as an ambitious, emotionally overstuffed exploration of grief, identity, and generational lies. At 98 minutes, the film is intimate in scale but epic in emotional scope, serving as a powerful showcase for its 94-year-old lead, June Squibb. This profound Drama centers on Eleanor Morgenstein, who, reeling from the loss of her best friend, moves to New York City and attempts to belong to a new social circle.
The core conflict arises when Eleanor, in a desperate bid for acceptance at the local JCC, assumes the family story—a painful history linked to the Second World War—of her recently deceased best friend. This lie spirals out of control, eventually involving her estranged daughter, a college journalist, and a renowned news anchor. My overall impression is that while the screenplay may be overambitious, often rushing its various subplots, the film is anchored by a performance of such deep empathy and wit from June Squibb that it transcends its structural flaws, landing instead as a deeply poignant and ultimately affecting meditation on the painful nature of loss and forgiveness.
Story and Screenplay
Tory Kamen’s screenplay is the film’s most complicated element—it’s full of quick wit and barbed, knowing retorts, but it juggles too many thematic balls at once. The initial premise of a grieving woman struggling to reconnect with her daughter (Jessica Hecht) is compelling enough. However, the plot soon becomes heavily populated: the tragic lie about the Holocaust, a burgeoning mentorship with Nina (Erin Kellyman), the complications stemming from Nina’s newscaster father (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and Eleanor’s subsequent embarrassment and betrayal of trust.
The structure frequently rushes to hit predictable beats as Eleanor’s lie unravels, particularly in the film’s midsection. We are asked to process profound themes—the commercialization of tragedy, the ethics of journalism, and the generational trauma associated with a world War—in quick succession, leaving many of these complex ideas underdeveloped. That said, the film is at its best in its quiet, observational moments: the genuine connection between Eleanor and Nina, and the painful honesty of the confrontation between Eleanor and her daughter. The script’s primary achievement is its final thesis, which attempts to reframe Eleanor’s ugly lie as an act of remembrance and an attempt to process overwhelming grief, a moral justification that, while controversial, manages to be surprisingly effective.
Acting and Characters
The entire emotional weight of Eleanor the Great rests on the diminutive shoulders of June Squibb, and she delivers a career-crowning performance. Squibb is deeply empathetic, effortlessly portraying both the sharp wit and the desperate vulnerability of a woman attempting to cope with loneliness. Her performance ensures that the audience believes Eleanor’s lie springs from a profound need to belong rather than malice. Her presence single-handedly anchors the plot and its high emotional stakes.
The supporting cast is equally strong. Erin Kellyman (Nina) is excellent as the grieving college journalist who becomes Eleanor’s confidante, displaying a raw, wounded vulnerability that makes her eventual feeling of betrayal sting deeply. Chiwetel Ejiofor (Roger Davis) is brilliant as Nina’s grieving father, providing a moment of sustained poignancy late in the film with a stunning monologue on generational approaches to loss and forgiveness. Jessica Hecht (Lisa, Eleanor’s daughter) expertly navigates the exasperation, love, and estrangement that defines their complicated relationship. The film is fundamentally a showcase for women of various ages grappling with loss, and the cast delivers a cohesive, emotionally resonant portrait.
Direction and Technical Aspect
As a director, Scarlett Johansson keeps the technical aspects simple, intimate, and understated, which serves as a necessary counterpoint to the overstuffed screenplay. The visual language is unfussy and observational, focusing heavily on character reactions and close-ups, ensuring the audience is always intimately connected to Eleanor’s internal world.
Johansson’s choice to keep the camerawork often steady and gentle reinforces the film’s core as a character Drama, even when the plot becomes chaotic. The setting—specifically the JCC—is portrayed as warm, welcoming, and slightly rumpled, providing a believable backdrop for Eleanor’s misadventure. There is a sense of quiet authenticity in the way the film utilizes its New York setting. Ultimately, Johansson’s direction avoids drawing attention to itself, prioritizing the actors and the story’s emotional resonance over visual flash, which is a mature and commendable choice for a debut.
Soundtrack and Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Eleanor the Great is dominated by the weight of unspoken grief and the fragile hope of connection. It is consistently gentle and poignant, though it occasionally shifts into a nervous, comedic energy when Eleanor’s lie is under threat.
The score is subtle, orchestral, and avoids heavy-handed manipulation, instead preferring to underscore the emotional moments with a quiet, reflective quality. The atmosphere effectively frames the central theme: how people from different generations deal with immense, personal loss. The film manages to maintain a sense of hard-won wisdom throughout, focusing on the humanity and vulnerability of its characters. This palpable mood ensures that even when the plot mechanics feel rushed, the emotional stakes remain clear and deeply felt.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
- June Squibb's Central Performance: A deeply empathetic, career-best performance that grounds the entire film.
- Emotional Poignancy: The film successfully explores complex themes of grief, generational differences, and forgiveness.
- Intimate Direction: Scarlett Johansson’s simple, character-focused direction provides a necessary stability to the chaotic script.
- Strong Supporting Cast: Excellent work by Erin Kellyman and Chiwetel Ejiofor, particularly in their final monologues.
- Overambitious Screenplay: The script attempts to cover too many themes (grief, Holocaust, journalism ethics) in a short runtime, leading to rushed or predictable plot points.
- The "Big Lie": The film asks the audience to accept a significant moral compromise (the lie involving the War trauma) as an act of remembrance, which can be a difficult narrative hurdle.
- Rushed Pacing: The mid-section frequently moves too quickly through important beats of the lie's unraveling.
Final Verdict
Eleanor the Great is a remarkable debut for Scarlett Johansson and an even more remarkable platform for June Squibb, who proves that talent knows no age limit.
While the film suffers from an overzealous script that tries to tackle too much, its heart is undeniably in the right place, and its emotional intelligence shines through. It’s a beautifully acted and deeply moving film about the messy, flawed, and often chaotic ways we attempt to heal from loss and find a sense of belonging. It’s a powerful character Drama that is well worth seeking out. For a complete analysis of this deeply felt film, read this Movie Review. We highly recommend this poignant 2025 Film.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
 Movie Review: A Towering Performance Anchors a Fraying Story of Grief and Lies){kind=link}
0 Comments