ELEANOR THE GREAT – Review by Lois Alter Mark
June Squibb is a national treasure. At the age of 95, the actress is still full of surprises – as well as award-worthy performances like the one she gives in Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great.
This character-driven little gem stars Squibb as the titular Eleanor, who is grieving the loss of her lifelong BFF, Bessie (Rita Zohar). She moves out of the apartment they shared in Florida to live with her daughter in New York City and somehow finds herself walking into a Holocaust survivors support group at the Jewish Community Center one day. The members are so welcoming and friendly that Eleanor – to fit in? to honor her bestie? to be the center of attention? – ends up sharing Bessie’s devastating story of survival as her own.
Of course, everyone is moved to tears, including Nina (Erin Kellyman), a visiting NYU journalism student who wants to write about Eleanor. The two develop a close, if unlikely, friendship and the lie takes on a life of its own as time goes by and it becomes harder and harder for Eleanor to admit what she’s done.
Eleanor the Great is both hilarious and heartbreaking. Tory Kamen’s screenplay is a fresh take on a Holocaust story, with plenty of laughs, care of Eleanor’s unfiltered mouth. Although there are moments in the film that require some suspension of disbelief, the characters (and the actors portraying them) are so engaging, it’s easy to just go along for the ride.
I would happily watch a whole show about golden girls Eleanor and Bessie, the Thelma and Louise of the Medicare set. Or about Eleanor and Nina, whose 70+ year age difference just enhances their friendship. Honestly, I would watch anything about Eleanor, who unapologetically continues to live life on her own terms, saying and doing what she wants when she wants.
Somewhere in the middle of the movie, I had an “aha” moment and started thinking about Hamilton and the whole idea of “Who lives? Who dies? Who tells your story?” Although it’s indefensible that she claims it as her own, Eleanor is, ultimately, the right person to tell Bessie’s story. Because it’s so personal to her – there are beautiful, powerful flashbacks to Bessie, in tears, recounting her experience to her trusted friend – we are reminded that the Holocaust happened to real human beings, each of whom was someone’s beloved friend or family member.
By the end of Eleanor the Great, it’s also clear that, with her deft hand and natural empathy, Scarlett Johansson is the right person to tell the story of Eleanor the Great.
