Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, premiered on Netflix to mixed reactions, failing to fully deliver on its promising premise. Released in 2024, the film stars June Squibb, a charismatic 96-year-old actress, in a story centered on grief, loneliness, and deception, set between Florida and Manhattan.
An Overview of ‘Eleanor the Great’ and Its Main Characters
The film follows Eleanor, portrayed by June Squibb, a 94-year-old widow settling into a quieter life in Florida. After the death of her close friend Bessie, Eleanor relocates to her daughter Lisa’s apartment in Manhattan, where she grapples with loneliness alongside Lisa’s busy family. Lisa, played by Jessica Hecht, and her college-age son Max, portrayed by Will Price, have little time to care for Eleanor, causing tensions over her living arrangements.
Despite their prickly relationship, Eleanor’s mischievous behavior punctuates the film. Her tendency to tell small fibs escalates when she accidentally joins a Holocaust survivors support group, a mix-up that triggers a cascade of complications. Eleanor shares the story of Bessie’s experiences at Auschwitz, falsely claiming them as her own, which becomes a critical element of the film’s plot.
The Central Conflict: Deception and Unexpected Friendships
When Eleanor starts attending the support group unintentionally, she finds the community welcoming. Her initial attempt to exit the group fails, and she eventually confesses Bessie’s history as if it were hers. The falsehood spirals out of control when Nina, a college student played by Erin Kellyman, takes an interest in Eleanor’s story for a journalism project. Nina, coping with her own recent loss and strained relationship with her father Roger, a TV anchorman portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, forms a bond with Eleanor. Their friendship provides some of the film’s more genuine moments, involving walks, meals, and synagogue visits, where Eleanor hopes to complete a Bat Mitzvah she never had.
Nina’s belief that Eleanor’s Bat Mitzvah was prevented by the Holocaust represents one of the narrative’s emotional threads, although the actual reason turns out to be much less dramatic. These moments between Nina and Eleanor highlight the contrast between loneliness and connection, which the film tries to balance but struggles with overall.
The Film’s Tone and Narrative Challenges
Eleanor the Great grapples with its tonal shifts, attempting to unite heartfelt friendship with the gravity of Eleanor’s fabrications regarding Holocaust survival. The screenplay by first-time writer Tory Kamen leans toward a cluttered ambition, veering awkwardly between comedy and heavy drama. This mixture results in an awkward narrative tone that undercuts the film’s emotional stakes. The dialogue often feels forced, limiting the cast’s ability to elevate the material, despite strong performances from Squibb and Kellyman.
The relationship between Eleanor and her daughter Lisa features moments of friction, particularly around the issue of Eleanor’s autonomy and living situation, with Lisa advocating for assisted living and Eleanor resisting fiercely. This subplot adds insight into Eleanor’s character but is not fully developed, overshadowed by the larger deception storyline.
Performance Highlights and Critique of the Script
June Squibb, known for her breakout role in 2013’s Nebraska, delivers a nuanced portrayal of an elderly woman balancing vulnerability and defiance. Erin Kellyman’s portrayal of Nina cuts through much of the script’s artificiality with sincerity and emotional depth, becoming the film’s highlight. Jessica Hecht and Chiwetel Ejiofor contribute solid supporting performances, though their characters receive limited screen time and development.
Despite the cast’s efforts, the screenplay’s uneven pacing and mishandled subject matter hamper the film’s impact. The gravitas demanded by a story involving Holocaust survivors is diluted by attempts to insert lighthearted humor, resulting in a film that neither fully honors the seriousness of the topic nor delivers effective comedy. The tension built throughout the film over Eleanor’s secret eventually unravels quickly, with the final act resolving conflicts too swiftly and sentimentally.
Comparisons and Narrative Missed Opportunities
Eleanor the Great invites comparison to other character-driven films such as Thelma, which showcased June Squibb in a more dynamic and engaging setting alongside Fred Hechinger. Unlike Thelma, this film’s narrative feels constrained by its reliance on a spun-out lie as its central dramatic engine rather than focusing more deeply on the evolving friendship between Eleanor and Nina.
The film’s misstep lies in its conceptual approach, as it appears to need external weight to justify the story, rather than allowing the core relationship to convey sufficient emotional power. This approach leaves many characters underdeveloped and reduces them to devices serving the plot’s structure rather than fully realized individuals.
Broader Impact and What This Means for Johansson’s Filmmaking
As Scarlett Johansson’s first project as a director, Eleanor the Great demonstrates ambition but ultimately falls short of expectations. Johansson’s handling of heavy themes such as aging, grief, and deception lacks the necessary depth and tonal coherence. The film’s rapid resolution and sentimental framing prevent it from fully engaging with the moral complexities it raises.
The promising performances indicate the potential for Johansson’s directorial work, but the script and pacing suggest a need for a more experienced screenwriting collaboration in future projects. How Johansson’s directorial career evolves remains to be seen, but Eleanor the Great signals growing pains rather than a confident debut.
Availability and Viewing Recommendations
Eleanor the Great is currently available to stream on Netflix. Despite its high-profile director debut and the involvement of esteemed actors, the film comes across as a well-intentioned misfire. Viewers seeking emotionally resonant cinema might find the awkward mixture of tones frustrating, and the narrative’s ethical dilemma handled without sufficient gravity.
While the interaction between Squibb’s Eleanor and Kellyman’s Nina offers moments worth watching, the overall film is likely to leave audiences conflicted. Critics have generally advised skipping the film due to its failure to successfully balance ambition with execution and the sensitive subject matter it attempts to portray.
Final Thoughts on ‘Eleanor the Great’
Eleanor the Great is a film built on a strong foundation of acting talent and a compelling premise but hindered by a screenplay that mishandles its themes and characters. Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut does reveal promise in her ability to elicit performances but underscores the challenge of blending humor and genuine drama in stories that touch on traumatic history.
Looking ahead, Johansson’s career as a director will be watched closely to see if she can refine her storytelling and embrace the complexities that come with her chosen material. For now, Eleanor the Great stands as a cautionary example of the difficulties in balancing narrative ambition with emotional authenticity.
“Eleanor the Great is a well-intentioned miscalculation. SKIP IT.”
?John Serba, Freelance Film Critic
