Your cart is currently empty!
Eleanor the Great: Moving Story
I’ve liked June Squibb since I saw her first film so I was excited about her next project. The fact that Scarlett Johansson’s directed made me even more intrigued. After watching the film, I found it a beautiful moving story of grief and unlikely friendship with compelling performances from June Squibb and the rest of the cast.
Eleanor the Great is a drama film directed by Scarlett Johansson in her directorial debut and written by Tory Kamen. In the film, Eleanor Morgenstein (June Squibb) is a 94 year old woman who has recently lost her best friend Bessie (Rita Zohar) and has moved back from Florida to live with her daughter Lisa (Jessica Hecht) and her grandson Max (Will Price). Neither of them have time for her so she goes to a local community center and strikes up an unlikely friendship with Nina (Erin Kellyman), a 19 year old student. Eleanor tells stories of the Holocaust and helps Nina with the loss of her mother but how much of Eleanor’s stories are true? And what happens when Nina finds out? The film also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Roger, Nina’s father.
The writing in the film exquisitely addresses the theme of aging, Jewish identity, grief, friendship and the Holocaust. I love the unlikely friendship between Eleanor and Nina, as Nina helps fill a space in Eleanor’s life after the loss of her best friend and Eleanor helps Nina through her grief over her mother and to discover her Jewish identity, connecting with the pieces of her mother even as Eleanor finds way to reconnect with a faith she loves as well. The film does a terrific job of developing their friendship as well as showing just how impacted each is by the relationship between them.
Eleanor is sarcastic and funny but also emotional when she calls Nina her granddaughter. I love the way Nina and Roger are disconnected throughout the film but by the end connect over their shared grief over the loss they share. It is a gut wrenching scene when Roger speaks about his grief for the first time since the loss of his wife. And Eleanor sharing Bessie’s stories is heartbreaking and moving. Bessie’s stories of the Holocaust are stories that we should never forget and I like the way the film highlights that concept. The story is rich with emotion and each character is portrayed with sensitivity. 
The performances are emotional and compelling, in particular June Squibb. June is brilliant, funny and emotional. Erin Kellyman as Nina performs her role equally well, her character bright, full of grief and haunting in how she feels the loss of her mother Jean. The way each actress demonstrates the struggle with identity and loss is beautiful and moving. The connection between June as Eleanor and Erin as Nina is incredible. Chiwetel Ejiofor is also moving, especially when he finally connects with Nina. Jessica Hecht as Lisa and Will Price as Max are talented and believable in their roles as Eleanor’s daughter and grandson. Rita Zohar as Bessie is beautiful in the role.
The film is slow but it is a loving tribute, sharing truths about the Holocaust through an unlikely method, touching on grief and friendship with the unlikely pairing between Eleanor and Nina. I love the honesty and haunting quality of the movie but I also like the ending when Eleanor shares Bessie’s stories so her truth isn’t forgotten despite her death. It is heartbreaking and moving, the entire film is.
If you like drama films with a funny and brilliant actress at the heart of the movie, this is the film for you. June Squibb is brilliant and emotional. Erin Kellyman is incredible as is the entire cast. The film is a moving depiction of Jewish identity, grief, and friendship but also stories of the Holocaust. It delves into truths we all should hear.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stories.
Leave a Reply