Eleanor the Great – REVIEW

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‘Eleanor the Great’ stars…..

It’s refreshing to see veteran actors recognized, especially with so much attention now on younger stars. June Squibb, 95, has had a long career, but gained wider notice after her Oscar-nominated performance in the 2014 film ‘Nebraska.’ Now, she stars as Eleanor in ‘Eleanor the Great,’ playing a woman who shares a Florida condo with her best friend Bessie (Rita Zohar), a Holocaust survivor haunted by the loss of her brother. After Bessie’s death, Eleanor moves to New York to live with her daughter, Lisa (Jessica Hecht), and grandson, Max (Will Price). However, Eleanor’s often embarrassing behavior towards Lisa in front of Max leads her daughter to consider a care home. Eleanor is a difficult and sometimes unlikeable character, pushing away the people she should be closest to.

What’s Eleanor the Great about?

Eleanor, feeling isolated, joins a support group for Holocaust survivors. When asked to share her experiences, she falsely claims to be a survivor, recounting the memories of a woman named Bessie instead of her own. The group also includes Nina, a journalism student grappling with the recent loss of her mother, and Nina’s emotionally distant father, a broadcaster. Both Eleanor and Nina feel alone and seek connection, leading them to an unexpected friendship built on shared grief. However, Eleanor’s fabricated story spirals out of control, eventually leading to a shocking reveal – she is not who she pretends to be.

Our verdict……

The film beautifully portrays the connection between younger and older generations, and there’s a poignant sadness as both characters confront their pasts. The two actresses deliver equally strong performances. However, the story falters when Eleanor’s deception is revealed. Instead of being widely reported or challenged by those who deny the Holocaust, the focus unexpectedly shifts to the grief of Nina’s father.

Scarlett Johansson’s first time directing a feature film, Eleanor the Great, is surprisingly strong, likely fueled by her personal connection to the story – she lost family members in Warsaw during World War II. However, the film feels somewhat simplistic in its approach. It seems like a mistake to attribute a character’s dishonesty solely to their grief, especially in a story focused on complex themes like friendship, loss, and finding oneself.

Here’s the Eleanor the Great trailer….

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2025-12-10 03:23