Scarlett Johansson makes her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great, a small film dealing with identity, friendship and grief.
The always engaging June Squibb (Thelma, Nebraska) plays the title character, Eleanor, who is sharing her Golden years in Florida with her best friend of over 70 years, Bessie (Rita Zohar). Both women are widows, their deep, familial friendship is unequaled.
Between them, there are no secrets; they both know one another’s stories as if they were their own.
And then, one day, Bessie passes away.
Eleanor’s grief and loss, has suddenly made her world very small. Eleanor moves back to New York, moving in with her divorced daughter Lisa (Jessica Hecht) and her college student grandson, Max (Will Price).
Lisa, realizing that Eleanor’s presence is more than she can handle, plans to move her to an assisted living facility when one is available.
Lisa decides that her mother needs some socialization and signs her up at a class at her local Jewish Community Center, which unknowingly is a support group for survivors of the Holocaust. The other group members are compassionate and empathetic.
Except there’s a catch. Eleanor wasn’t in the holocaust. She converted to Judaism in 1953. The stories she was sharing, weren’t hers.
They were Bessie’s.
As the film progresses, Eleanor befriends Nina (Erin Kellyman), a journalism student who recently lost her mother, and has taken her fascination of Eleanor’s “holocaust story” and has made her the focus of a school project to share her story.
Living through Bessie’s past, Eleanor becomes close with Nina, and decides she’s going to do something that she previously never had the opportunity to do; have a Bat Mitzvah. Nina reveals to Eleanor that her late mother was Jewish and is not only grieving her mother’s passing; but also the distance that her father Roger (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a nationally recognized newscaster has formed since their shared loss.
Roger reads Nina’s writing and insists on meeting Eleanor. The three share a lovely dinner and Roger recognizes not only Eleanor’s strength, but his daughter’s talent.
Despite the fact that she’s rarely home, Lisa is proud that her mother is (as she believes) has expanded her friend base with other JCC members.
At home, Eleanor heads out and Max insists on sharing a cab with her. Eleanor, gets out of the cab before the intended stop and Max notices that she hails a ride in the opposite direction, prompting him to call Lisa.
When Eleanor walks into the Temple for her Bat Mitzvah, she is startled to learn that Roger is filming a special news series and her story will anchor it. Everything comes to a head as Eleanor’s truth is revealed, disappointing Roger, confusing Lisa and Max, and shattering Nina’s world. From that point on the film reveals what happens next, what amends are made, and wraps up the story in a satisfactory resolution.
Grief can make people do unusual things, but it’s Eleanor’s deceit to the people who care about her the most, is where I find the film’s flaws to overtake the narrative. June Squibb is wonderful in the role, but Eleanor really isn’t a wonderful person. She’s manipulative and ultimately lying. There’s no question that she is still mourning Bessie, but does that give her the excuse to be so self centered and selfish?
Eleanor doesn’t learn anything from her ruse and even more startling, she doesn’t seem to care who she hurt, but rather that she got caught. I never seemed to emotionally connect with the film, as Eleanor uses her grief more as a story point, rather than her suffering through her actual loss. The casting of Squibb seems to make Eleanor more likeable simply by her presence.
Johansson’s directorial debut is competent and confident; it’s not breaking any new ground, but she can tell a story. On the other hand, the script by first time screenwriter Tony Kamen is somewhat predictable and provides an uncomplicated take of an extremely complex look at grief. The cast overall is excellent with standout Erin Kellyman making a confident, memorable performance.
A perfect rental, but hardly an excuse to go to the theater.
* * * * *
Produced by Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Lia, Keenan Flynn,
Trudie Styler, Celine Rattray, Jessamine Burgum, Kara Durrett
Written by Tory Kamen
Directed by Scarlett Johansson
Starring June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Jessica Hecht,
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rita Zohar, Will Price
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