Eleanor the Great- A lonely seniors great story

ELEANOR THE GREAT

Directed by Scarlett Johannson

Starring:  June Squibb, Rita Zohar, Chiwetel Ejiofor

Running Time: 1hr 38min.

Eleanor the Great is Scarlett Johansson’s first film as a director. It's a drama, but there is comedy in the truth of life. It's starring June Squibb as Eleanor, a 94-year-old woman who moves from Florida to New York City after losing her best friend.

Eleanor and her longtime friend Bessie (Rita Zohar) were best friends and roommates for 11 years,  who did everything together. But when Bessie dies, Eleanor tries to reconnect with her family in Manhattan. Instead, she ends up living with a daughter (Jessica Hecht) who wants her in a retirement home, and a grandson (Will Price), who both have busy lives and don't have time to spend with her.  Eleanor feels lonely and out of place.

Things shift when she joins a group of Holocaust survivors who welcome her warmly. She also meets Nina (Erin Kellyman), a student writing about the group, who becomes a close friend. Nina and her father (Chiwetel Ejiofor) are also grieving.

Eleanor accidentally ends up in a Holocaust survivor support group instead of a class that her daughter signed her up to at their local JCC.  Caught by surprise, she shares a story with the group that takes on a life of its own, one she doesn't know how to get out of, and there is a price to pay for her life story.

I saw this film at TIFF, but I really wish I had been able to see the Premiere to be there for the Q&A with Scarlett and June.

This film was so well cast with fully developed real-life characters going through their own struggles in life.

I really loved this film for telling the story of Holocaust survivors and seniors who come to the last chapter in their lives and are looking for human connections.

June Squibb's deft ability to deliver one-liners is truly a gift.

Johansson really put a lot of heart and skill into this project, and you can tell she was very thoughtful about each character's personal stories.

I would look out for Johansson to become a Director to watch.  

Johansson made a real, authentic move by casting real Holocaust survivors with the help of the Shoah Foundation to play members of the support group, adding authenticity and heart to the film.

Trailer link

Opens September 26 in Canada!