Eleanor the Great

At ninety four, Eleanor Morgenstein faces a life without her closest confidant. Having spent decades under the Florida sun, she returns to the sharpened air of New York City to reclaim a sense of home. The film follows her quiet, stubborn search for footing, reconnecting with old friends, tending to lingering memories, and tentatively opening herself to new routines. A young neighbor named Nina, played by Erin Kellyman, becomes a catalyst for trying fresh routines and small adventures that push Eleanor beyond comfort. The city, rendered with care, becomes a character of its own, offering both friction and grace in crowded cafes and late night trains. June Squibb carries the role with a patient, intimate presence, guiding Eleanor through small acts that begin to stitch a life back together after loss and a nagging sense that time is short.

Directed by Scarlett Johansson with a script by Tory Kamen, Eleanor the Great marks a restrained drama that pairs Johansson's cinematic sensibility with a veteran cast led by June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Hecht and Rita Zohar too.

Worldwide box office stands at about 3,579,533, indicating a modest but steady performance on the festival circuit and in select art house venues. Its release strategy focused on limited theaters and streaming partnerships, encouraging discovery through word of mouth.

Cultural impact is still forming for this late life drama. It invites reflection on aging and friendship, offering a subdued alternative to big budget thrillers. Its restrained tone may resonate with audiences who value character driven storytelling over spectacle yet.

Reception leans toward praise for June Squibb's performance and the film's careful handling of grief and renewal. It foregrounds memory, resilience, and the impact of place on a life that finds new purpose after loss. The mood favors quiet realism over melodrama in theaters now.