June Squibb delivers a standout performance in "Eleanor the Great", playing Eleanor, a spirited 94-year-old living her golden years in Florida with her best friend Bessie (Rita Zohar). The two widows have shared a home, and decades of friendship, for the past 11 years. But when Bessie dies unexpectedly, Eleanor’s world is upended. She relocates to New York City to live with her divorced daughter and grandson while her daughter searches for an assisted living facility.
To help Eleanor adjust, her daughter signs her up for programs at the local Jewish Community Center. Reluctantly, Eleanor attends and accidentally stumbles into a Holocaust survivors’ support group. Caught off guard, she’s asked to share her story. In a moment of grief and confusion, Eleanor passes off Bessie’s harrowing escape from the camps as her own. Her tale moves the group and catches the attention of Nina (Erin Kellyman), a journalism student attending the session for a class assignment.
What follows is an unexpected friendship between Eleanor and Nina, bonded by shared loss with Eleanor grieving Bessie, and Nina mourning her mother. Neither has much structure in their lives, and they find comfort in each other’s company.
Though the film touches on weighty themes like grief, identity, and the ethics of storytelling, it’s anchored by Squibb’s standout performance. Her sharp wit and physical comedy, even at age 95, adds levity and charm.
This role follows her award-winning turn in "Thelma", and once again, Squibb proves she can carry a film with heart, humor, and emotional depth.
"Eleanor the Great" marks Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, with a heartfelt screenplay by Tory Kamen. The film premiered at Cannes in May and is now playing in theaters with a runtime of 98 minutes and is rated PG-13.
"Eleanor the Great" is a poignant, funny, and deeply human story and is a film worth watching. Squibb’s mischievous and moving performance brings warmth and wit to a story that finds heart in the messiness of grief.
