Eternity (2016) User Reviews

Eternity Glows As it Slows

[krocheav · 7/10 · 16 August 2017]

As an artistic look at the seemingly idle rich (there are no visible means of support) that covers a century of interrelated lives in Paris, this movie is about as eye popingly gorgeous as it gets. Highly praised Vietnamese born director Tran Anh Hung and Cinematographer Mark Lee Bing, along with the director's wife, Tran Nu Yen Khe as art director and narrator (every so often there are surprise dialogue scenes) create a sumptuous, highly romanticized treat for the senses but offer little else in the way of a fully involving story or pace. If you like dreamy pastoral images, National Trust Properties and costumes, all set to beautiful classical piano music and song from the conveyed eras, then you won't mind the snail pace. From the numerous long shots (some that seem to serve little purpose) it looks somewhat like Editor Mario Battistel may have had most of his suggestions overruled...?

While wars come and go (unseen) taking with them some of the cream of this family's youth - their life at home is nothing short of curiously blissful. The difficulty of life and death struggles with common diseases of the day is harshly brought home in all its tragedy. Still, we follow these otherwise blessed families as they glide through the years up to a more modern era. Looking for something to slow you down (or help you sleep?) it's here in Eternity.

Lingering, unrushed beauty

[rebeccalloyd · 6/10 · 27 May 2018]

I adored this film. Such unhurried beauty..I felt my desire to slow into that unhurried pace of life. The cinematography was sumptuous, coupled with the director's desire to show the the beauty of 'mundane' activities, like collecting fresh eggs, or catching baby frogs. This film is the perfect Sunday afternoon film. Gentle, deep, meaningful and with a reverence for a mother's, wife's and friend's love. I bought it immediately after watching the rental.

Magnificent story

[valadas · 7/10 · 22 February 2023]

A family story across a century. It begins with Jules marriage by the end of the 19th century and it goes till the end of the 20th century when his granddaughter runs to a bridge in Paris to meet the man she loves. During that century love is always present with men and women knowing each other, starting good relationships, weddings, separations and even a few tragic deaths. All this runs in a luxury scenery and environmnent, interior and exteriorl A very pleasant movie to watch. And the performance of actors and actresses is excellent with fine close-ups of their faces. Everytning appears as going very well.

Weak emotions, beautiful scenes.

[suzzie_szz · 3/10 · 6 January 2020]

Sad that so many beautiful decorations, make up, clothes, scenes and film stills were wasted for nearly nothing. The director's effort to deliver emotions through the tragedy and drama scenes were so weak, that I felt sorry towards the actors, who put the work in it. The movie was over boring, especially the flashbacks, which were totally emptied from the real sense of tragedy and emotion. Obviously, It is easily understood what the director and scenario author wanted to express, but unfortunately, they managed it in a very poor way.

Boring

[Aatchoum · 3/10 · 5 March 2021]

The fabulous fate of three laying hens, their chicks and their descendants in the wealthy French bourgeoisie from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day. Beautiful actresses and beautiful images. But is it enough to make a movie? It lasts 2 hours but the first half hour already seems like an eternity. Wonderfully boring. If you really have nothing else to do, can help fall asleep but beware, the music is sometimes interrupted by baby crying ...

think of it as of the perfect sumptuous dream of utmost elegance...

[natalyanormandy · 10/10 · 5 February 2017]

I can see why people can not praise this film - it is very hard to digest. It is set to so many beautiful classical melodies, and the world it sets into motion is just as luminous and wonderful as the music.

The most beautiful french women stay perfect through dozen childbirths, the children are all tender-hearted and dressed with utmost taste and play lovely games.. Nobody does anything else but loving each other with tenderness and softness and deepest understanding and acceptance. Everything is set in paradisaical garden and color and flowers filled rooms... It is a kind of world that we probably all dream of - with not one note of dissonance, of bad taste, of disorder, of any kind of ugliness or dirt. Except there is still death and loss and terrible pain.. and most graceful and elegant way to live through every turn of life...

Is it a Tran Anh Hung's oriental philosophy and unique artistic sensitivity translated into Western setting, or do they really exist - these perfect, subtle, fragile and prosperous families? Is it them we get a glimpse of - sometimes - on Parisian streets and elegant sea resorts? In any way - the film is extremely beautiful to watch and in the current world of terrible deficit of untainted images and characters, it is worth of the highest appreciation...

When the soundtrack makes a script

[benjachkasax · 10/10 · 21 June 2020]

There were two hours of Eternity. A thousand years in present, that's '' Eternity" lives. Music as a present lullaby of death and love. And the best soundtrack as possible. Light, Light and light... You were inside impressionist pictures walking around. Minimal voices... It's a film plenty of beauty and wisdom. Whatever Hollywood critics said about the script, I do think that they never understood anything. Music is script around e inside actors and scenes.