Episode 157. Eleanor the Great (2025)

On this episode of B&R at the Movies podcast, Berry and Robin watch and discus the 2025 film Eleanor the Great. This comedic drama is directed by Scarlett Johansson and stars June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Chiwetwl Ejiofor, Jessica Hecht, Rita Zohar, and Will Price. This film show just how far a simple little lie can spread even when done for a good purpose. June Squibb stars as Eleanor Morgenstein, who tells one lie that spins out of control and threatens everyone around and connected to her.  

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:16

All right, everybody. Welcome back for another episode of BNR at the movies podcast. I'm Barry.

SPEAKER_02 0:21

And I'm Robin.

SPEAKER_03 0:22

Alright, so this week was your choice of film. Yes. So let you go and take us away on this one.

SPEAKER_02 0:26

Okay. So we are gonna watch Eleanor the Great. Came out last year, late last year. I saw it in the movie theater. Oh. So I've only seen it once.

SPEAKER_03 0:36

All right.

SPEAKER_02 0:37

Um I am kind of on the fence about it a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 0:42

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 0:43

I think there is room for improvement, I think. But I only saw it once. So I'm really curious what what you think.

SPEAKER_03 0:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 0:50

Um it's um it's it's pretty much a drama. It's a like a light drama, you know, so it's not you know heavy. Not to really. But but you know, there are slightly heavy moments. But um uh this is uh June Squibb is the main actress. She is in her 80s. Um and she's been in a lot of movies. If anybody ever wants to like Google her, yeah, the girl the woman's been you know hardworking actress her whole life. Um this is uh Scarlett Johansson's first time directing.

SPEAKER_03 1:23

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:24

Um and uh so that's kind of why I I saw it in the theater, pretty much. I had seen a trailer at um you know, shortly before I saw it in the theater, and I I thought it looked you know, it looked pretty good. Um yeah, um I But you see it's not it's not a perfect movie, if I remember correctly. Okay. I think it has a lot of good qualities to it.

SPEAKER_03 1:49

All right.

SPEAKER_02 1:50

But on the whole, you know. So is it more of the the story itself or just a you know, I don't know if uh the story it doesn't seem s I well, what I remember anyway. Didn't seem smooth.

SPEAKER_03 2:06

Oh, okay. You know, okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:07

It was it was good, it took you there, but it wasn't a smooth ride. It didn't it didn't feel like it anyway. But that that's kinda like you know, maybe that can be part of the story itself. It shouldn't feel like a smooth ride, maybe. I don't know. Okay. Maybe that you know how that can be. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:25

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 2:26

But um, yeah, I I really liked it, and afterwards I I learned a little bit more about oh, why Scarlett Johansson made this movie, her her feelings behind it, and why she really wanted to do it and that sort of thing. We can talk about that afterwards.

SPEAKER_03 2:41

So this wasn't just like somebody else's project and anything, she just the director in it. This was like actually like her full project.

SPEAKER_02 2:48

She really wanted to do this. She really believed in this story, and I think she does a pretty good job. But again, that's something for us to take a look at as far as a director choices and stuff like that. Yeah. Um, but storyline, it's it's a it's a very interesting storyline, I think. But um but yeah, I I just wanna I wanna see it again.

SPEAKER_03 3:11

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:12

But then I want you to see it too, and I want to hear what you think about it. So that's why I chose it for today.

SPEAKER_03 3:18

Yeah, absolutely. But um Yeah, uh I know absolutely nothing except for what you just just told me about this film.

SPEAKER_02 3:27

Go into it, go into it blind, go into a completely blind cold.

SPEAKER_03 3:30

Never seen the trailer, don't know anything about the story or anything. So yeah, so be I mean, it'll be interesting.

SPEAKER_02 3:34

You know, that's and in this one you kind of have to pay a little bit of attention. She's not gonna hold her hand though all the way through.

SPEAKER_03 3:41

Okay, all right.

SPEAKER_02 3:43

So you you do need to just just a little bit. If you if you really want to get into the story, you really gotta kinda like be listening, be watching uh for the little little bits and pieces in there. Okay. Um that's good. Yeah, so uh but um I I enjoyed it. I thought June Squibb did a very nice job. Um I really enjoyed her acting, and I I uh I have caught her in some other movies and even I, you know, if you've watched In and Out, you know, Kevin Klein.

SPEAKER_03 4:13

Oh, yeah, yeah, she's in that.

SPEAKER_02 4:14

She's got a little bit bit part, but she's in that.

SPEAKER_03 4:17

I was thinking that she yeah, because when she came up a l uh just on the on the little Netflix icon that we were pulling up, and I was thinking, I'm like, oh yeah, she's a big time character actor. Right, so we've seen her in the city.

SPEAKER_02 4:29

But this is one where she she gets to to you know do the whole, you know, she is the main character. She is really running the show. I mean, she gets to be uh all of it. So I like that for her. And oh I really like there's a young actress, and I'm sorry, I don't know her name afterwards. We're gonna remember what her name is. Yeah, but she is like the second the secondary main character. Okay, okay. I love her. I thought, well, I walked out of the theater going, she was so good. I've never seen her in anything before. She was so good. So um another thing to watch for. But yeah, she's she's a younger actress. And um we're gonna say what her name was afterwards because I don't know what it is right now.

SPEAKER_03 5:12

Oh, that's all right. We'll we'll figure it out.

SPEAKER_02 5:14

We will figure it out.

SPEAKER_03 5:15

All right, sounds good. All right, well, we're gonna go ahead and dive in and watch Eleanor the Great, and then we will come back a little bit talk about it. Okay. All right, we will be back in a little while. Alright, everybody, welcome back. We just got done watching Eleanor the Great. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 5:38

And since this was my first time you gotta go first.

SPEAKER_03 5:44

Um, I I like the story a lot. I thought it was I thought it was really good. Um it's always hard for me watching a film when I know somebody is lying throughout the whole thing.

SPEAKER_02 5:56

It's like it's uncomfortable, which which I suppose it's supposed to be.

SPEAKER_03 6:00

It's supposed to be.

SPEAKER_02 6:02

But it is like it just kind of breaks you inside a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 6:06

It does, it really, really does. And the whole time I'm just waiting for it to blow up.

SPEAKER_02 6:10

Yeah, it's like you're just waiting, okay. Now how is this gonna like smash to the ground?

SPEAKER_03 6:15

Right, right. And if you're and for this film, it was like, oh, it was at the community center, it's gonna happen. Nope, it doesn't happen there. Oh, it's gonna happen when she goes to her classroom, you know, talk to everybody. Oh, it's gonna happen then. Nope, it doesn't happen then. Yeah, and then it's just like, oh, and it's like yeah, but you know it's probably gonna happen.

SPEAKER_02 6:33

Right. I mean, I guess I guess you could make a film where it doesn't happen and the person just lies and continues to continues to lie the whole thing. Yeah, I mean, you know, that would be just super uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_03 6:44

But anyway. The problem is is that it makes it so I don't like the character as much.

SPEAKER_02 6:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:51

Um, because you want to you want to like the character.

SPEAKER_02 6:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:56

And with and I for this film, I underst I can understand why that she kind of lied was because that she wanted to tell her friend's story, and I get that.

SPEAKER_01 7:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:10

But why didn't you just at the very beginning and just go, Oh, I'm sorry, I'm I'm not a Holocaust survivor. My friend was, um, and I would like to tell you her story.

SPEAKER_02 7:22

Uh-huh. Yeah. And there that would be a very short movie. It would be a very short movie.

SPEAKER_03 7:27

That's right. That's why they didn't do that. Right, exactly. Right. Yeah. Yeah, because there's no twist to it. Yeah. So so I so like I said, so I I wish it, you know, in the back of my mind, I'm like, I wish that that's how it would have gone, and then she would have just said it, and then Yeah, but I I you know, I mean, it made her an interesting character. It did.

SPEAKER_02 7:48

Um, you you kind of wanted and you could see it in her eyes when you she knew she was lying and she knew she should stop.

SPEAKER_03 7:56

Right.

SPEAKER_02 7:57

But for some reason she didn't.

SPEAKER_03 7:59

And and she was given plenty of opportunity to stop.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:05

And it was at any point she could just said, I'm sorry, this is the truth, and then there you go, and then pick up the pieces from there. Um but she didn't. And so, like I said, it kind of makes you not want to like her character because she's lying the whole time. Um, the other characters you I find a lot more empathy and sympathy for of you know for what they're going through and connect a lot more with them, um, which is kind of ironic because it's supposed to be it's Eleanor the Great, and it's about Eleanor.

SPEAKER_02 8:45

Right. But it is the secondary characters that are really strong in this.

SPEAKER_03 8:51

It almost makes Eleanor the secondary character.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

Yeah, even though it's supposed to be about her. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

So it kind of goes to this like topsy turvy kind of like even from the beginning.

SPEAKER_03 9:08

She was lying then.

SPEAKER_02 9:09

Well, you know, with with with Bess.

SPEAKER_03 9:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:12

And the way she would treat people and what she would say. Did you like her?

SPEAKER_03 9:16

Um, I kind of like that she was kind of just like no nonsense, just kind of like putting people in their places, kind of thing. Yeah. I was like, I'm like, oh, so I mean, it's one that it's like, you know, gravitate towards of like, oh, this is a great person. It's like more of like, oh, that's an interesting person. That's an interesting character. Right. And so I was like, okay, we'll see how how this tough nose attitude is gonna is gonna carry her forward. It but it seemed like after Bess die, after her friend dies, and she moves back to New York, is that she doesn't really have that edge anymore.

SPEAKER_02 9:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:54

She doesn't have that, like, oh so she's searching for something. Yeah, yeah. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

And this is what she ended up. And this is what she's finding.

SPEAKER_03 10:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:02

Yeah. And which, you know, and I think it at the end they did try to to kind of tie it in to s like, you know, when you're grieving, you do some weird stuff. And and I I appreciate I can definitely appreciate that because I because you know, and that's why you always have to give people so much grace.

SPEAKER_03 10:21

Right.

SPEAKER_02 10:22

When they're grieving, because you don't know how they're react gonna react to anything.

SPEAKER_03 10:27

Yeah, you don't you don't know what they're gonna do and how they're gonna how they're gonna behave and what's gonna come out, and you can't really hold anything really against them for feeling that the way they're feeling because they can't really control how they're feeling and what's what they're going through. They're just trying to process.

SPEAKER_02 10:44

Right, right. So I mean their process is just is not the same as anybody else's. So it all can be different. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:51

So and I and I did like the story of the grief part of grief part of that, of you know, trying to trying to process that. And that's like she's going through the you know, the loss of her loss of her friend, you know, then you know the need's character is going through the loss of her mother, and then her father, and then you know, losing his wife, and so it's all this grief that's all that's all the connective tissue between everything. And like you said, like they're they're all processing it in their own way. Right. And it's you know, you can't really say anything is really a bad way of processing grief, it's just their way of processing.

SPEAKER_02 11:26

Right, right. So you yeah. So um a little piece, just to let you know.

SPEAKER_03 11:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

So the people that were in the group of the Holocaust survivors, especially the ones that didn't speak, are Holocaust survivors.

SPEAKER_03 11:42

That's awesome. I was I was really hoping that that was gonna be the case of that where they actually where they're actually to find people that were.

SPEAKER_02 11:50

Yeah, and that was one thing that Scarlett Johansson really wanted to do because she comes from a Jewish family. Right. And uh, yeah, so she really wanted to have them there to be in the group. And uh and uh you know, even the ones that do speak, maybe they are also Holocaust survivors, I'm not quite sure. I mean, they could be, of course, but I think most of uh I think everyone was was a Holocaust survivor that was there. So I mean that was very important, um obviously because I don't know, just it just kind of gave it that little brings the authenticity to it and kind of you know puts it real well a little real.

SPEAKER_03 12:29

And you know, the issue is always that you're you have the stories without the face to go with them and the connection that and then so now you actually have you know, you bring the real people in and you have more of that connection of what they're of what they're talking about and ties into the material and everything. So I think that's a really good thing.

SPEAKER_02 12:46

Yeah, so I I really applaud her for doing that. So um uh how did you think her directing her first film?

SPEAKER_03 12:54

I thought it I thought it was really good. Um I yeah when we were talking before our reunion and it was about like the un like the uncomfortable feelingness of it, but that is I think that's more just from the material of somebody lying and you're feeling that.

SPEAKER_02 13:11

So but but yeah, because when I walked out of the theater when I saw it and went, gosh, how do I feel about this? I don't know. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:20

So um, but as far as like the actual um like the the film processing go and the editing go and everything that went through that. Now, granted, I know she's the director and she has a you know a DP and every lighting, a team of a team of everybody else that puts it together, and I and I understand that. But in the end, she's the one to make the sort the choices of what she wants to have displayed. Um so I thought there were some really, really good shots done, um, some really good interesting stuff. Um, I liked that, like you said, like um they don't really hold your hand a lot on it. It's more of a you gotta really be paying attention to what's going on. I like that um even with like um when Eleanor gets to the apartment and um she's she's there with her daughter and there's an exercise bike, and then they're talking about like, oh, I'm gonna turn this into into my my gym area, you know, but she doesn't state that oh this was actually her son's room and then now it's no longer her son's room, and that's why it's going to be the gym area and stuff. And then you don't get that until Eleanor actually says, Oh, thank you for letting me, you know, stay in your in your bedroom.

SPEAKER_02 14:35

Right, right.

SPEAKER_03 14:36

And you don't under it, it doesn't really drive force that she is no that her son doesn't live there anymore.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Right.

unknown 14:44

Right.

SPEAKER_03 14:44

It's like they don't they don't even mention that at all. And it's like you have to really be paying attention to like, oh yeah, uh yeah, her her son had moved her son has is in I I want to say he's in college or at least the college age, and then not living there, and then it's like, oh, so now she's gonna, she's able to um to move in. That's why she's able to move in because she has the room the room available.

SPEAKER_01 15:11

Right.

SPEAKER_03 15:12

Um, yeah, so I thought so stuff like that where it's like it's it it's okay if it's there, it kind of gives a little more back backstory of what's going on. But it wasn't it wasn't necessary, so it's not there. And I like and I think I like that where it's like, yeah, it's like okay, you don't really need to to get every single piece of everything, you can figure it out. So I think I think that was I thought that was a really good one.

SPEAKER_02 15:38

And I I I kind of I guess I've seen enough movies where they have held my hand the entire time. And so, you know, I let me let me figure it out for myself. Let me think while I'm watching it, you know, kind of thing. Right. So yeah. Um yeah, and um so Aaron Kellyman is the is plays Nina.

SPEAKER_03 15:57

Right.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

And I uh she just popped off the screen.

SPEAKER_03 16:02

Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 16:03

When I saw her in the theater, I thought, who is this woman? Yeah, she is so good. Um I I'm sure she's you know, this was came out last year, so I'm sure she's made things before this and maybe even after too.

SPEAKER_03 16:17

I I'd seen her in a few there was something I gotta I was gonna look her up. Okay. I I could have sworn that I'd seen her in something or a trailer or something. Oh, solo, that was it. The Star Wars, the Star Wars movie.

SPEAKER_02 16:32

Oh, okay. Okay, okay. I didn't see that. So that's what it was.

SPEAKER_03 16:35

Okay. Uh so anyway.

SPEAKER_02 16:37

But yeah, I I think I think she's wonderful and she's a young actress and she's got a a big future, I mean, for whatever she wants to do. But I thought she was very good in this.

SPEAKER_03 16:48

And she had a she had to run the gauntlet of emotions going through this film. Uh, you know, from and she was so believable.

SPEAKER_02 16:55

Yeah. I believed every every ounce of what she brought to the screen.

SPEAKER_03 16:59

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 17:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:00

Yeah. She was she was really good. And she has those those quiet moments when you know she's like exploring like her mom's uh her mom's studio and everything, and you can tell like it was hard for her even to step into that room.

SPEAKER_01 17:14

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 17:14

And then let alone like actually walk through and actually like touch the stuff that was her mom's and stuff. Um and you know, and again, it's one where you don't have to be told that they left that room exactly the way it was for the past six months.

SPEAKER_02 17:31

You got you got enough clues if you need you know the the gum is still sitting on the desk. You know, it's just like yeah, it's it's the sweater's on the back of the chair. Someone was just there.

SPEAKER_03 17:40

They were just yeah, and that's and that's that's another grief kind of incident kind of thing where it's you have somebody and they're living their life and they have all this stuff around their lives that kind of it it it doesn't define them, but it makes up the complete story of the person.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

Right.

SPEAKER_03 18:02

And then when they're plucked out and they're removed from it, right.

SPEAKER_02 18:06

When it's when especially if it's like quickly, yeah, they're just suddenly gone. And then you have everything there that is like and you don't almost don't want to touch anything, you don't want to m move it. And and really, and for a lot of people, they can't move it until they're ready. Oh, yeah, until they've gone gone far enough into their grief to actually do that. And other people, they will instantly.

SPEAKER_03 18:29

Yeah. Which is their way of processing.

SPEAKER_02 18:32

And then I think that's really hard when you're in a family, especially like a a father and daughter, how they're processing so differently. Right. And um they can't help each other. Right. But they you would think, but you know the other person understands, but you you they still can't help each other until they get to a certain point.

SPEAKER_03 18:51

Right. And yeah, because they're processing even though it's the same event, they're processing it their own way.

SPEAKER_02 18:56

Yeah, and you're living in the same space.

SPEAKER_03 18:57

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 18:58

Yeah, it's and it's it's very it's a very it's a very delicate dance to do, and it's it's it's very difficult. And uh yeah, a lot of relationships don't survive.

SPEAKER_03 19:08

Well, and I think because a lot of people have a problem of of like I'm grieving and I'm grieving this way, and you are you know in the same situation for the same person, you should be grieving my way, and then a lot of people have a problem with that, yeah, or even be able to to talk to me or listen to me.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

But some people can't even do that. They they have to get through it farther, you know. You know, I can't I can't do that with you. I have to do it this way for me right now, and uh yeah, I mean it's so much about just respecting each other, but um, it's it's sad because you know you sometimes you can't help the person that's grieved. And you know, I mean, you can try and and yeah, I think a lot of it too, give it enough time, it'll it'll it'll come around. It'll come around, but um, but it does take time, sometimes a long time.

SPEAKER_03 20:03

And I always think like all you can do is just be there for that person, of like in whatever capacity that they need, of like, yes, I'm I'm going through my stuff, you're going through your stuff in our in our separate own ways, and it's like, but if there's anything that that person needs to be able to ease what they're going through, then just being there for that person is what they needed. Um but yeah, it's um but so I I like that that this film kind of it it is about grief. I mean, it really is. That is the center that is the center point.

SPEAKER_02 20:38

And it is one of those when you saw the when I saw the trailer, that is not what I picked up on at all. At all.

SPEAKER_03 20:45

We've always seen that where it's like almost like you know, you got the the rug pulled out from underneath you with some trailers where it's like you're thinking, like, oh, this is what the film is, this is the way it's gonna go.

SPEAKER_02 20:56

And which sometimes it's like that was the point, but yeah, like or some of it, you know, the trailer is well, that's the best bits. The movie is not even worth watching because you know the trailer really showed it, you know, gave me all the best bits and nothing else left.

SPEAKER_03 21:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

So uh, but it definitely wasn't that. I gotta admit, when I first saw the trailer, I thought it was two older women that were lesbians.

SPEAKER_03 21:20

So I when it started, I thought that too.

SPEAKER_02 21:24

Yeah, you know, but I that and when I started watching in the movie theater, I that's what I was thinking.

SPEAKER_03 21:29

Right.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

And then I kind of realized, oh no, they were just best friends.

SPEAKER_03 21:33

So, okay, so here's here's the thing. So in Florida, when they were living together, they live in the same bedroom in two separate single beds.

SPEAKER_02 21:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:44

And okay, now from people of an older generation where it's like even a couple, sometimes you didn't sleep in the same in the same bed, you had in the same space, but you weren't in the same bed. Right. So that's where I thought it was going. At first. And I was like, and then I'm like, okay, interesting. All right. And then they go, you know, they do all their stuff together and they go shopping together and stuff. And I was like, okay, you know, they're just establishing their lives together. And I was thinking, I'm like, you don't have to say, like, you know, they're in a relationship or anything. It's like, we're just going to go with it. I'm like, all right, fine. And then you come to find out, like, oh no, they weren't. And it's like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 22:22

It was kind of a letdown because I'm like, because I thought it was going to be that type of story.

SPEAKER_03 22:27

Well, and I thought I thought maybe it's like, oh, so they each had their own lives, and then, you know, they have their husbands and their kids and everything. And then they they realize that, you know, after their husbands have passed and they were living together, that they were actually in love with each other. And I thought that was the way it's going to go. And I was thinking, I'm like, and I was thinking, oh, that's kind of a cool little twist.

SPEAKER_02 22:48

And then it's like, nope, that that's that's that's not like they were just that close of friends. That's and and really, and sometimes and you know, two people of the same sex can live together and not be romantic. Well, and well, and that's what I was thinking, like And to be best friends and super close.

SPEAKER_03 23:06

But it's it's the fact that they shared the same bedroom.

SPEAKER_02 23:10

Well, if it's a one-bedroom place.

SPEAKER_03 23:12

Uh which I get, but it doesn't.

SPEAKER_02 23:15

They're not super high income ladies.

SPEAKER_03 23:17

Right. And they, you know, they don't exactly have a ton of stuff, and I get, you know, there's all that where it's like okay, sharing their life together.

SPEAKER_02 23:25

That's it, you know, and that's comfortable. I get it. I get it. I know, but it's it's it just wasn't that. And and I think if that was part of it, that would have muddied the waters for me a bit.

SPEAKER_03 23:35

Well, I think if it was gonna be that, then it needed to be a different story.

SPEAKER_02 23:41

Yeah, it had to go on down a different road, down a totally different road. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:44

Yeah. Which now it's kind of funny because it's like, now that's the movie I want to see. Can I make that? Can we make that one? Let's let's do that one.

SPEAKER_02 23:53

Pick that up.

SPEAKER_03 23:54

Pick that up a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 23:55

Yeah, and especially like if especially women, if two women and are lesbians and older like this, yeah, and how they navigate the world. Somebody can make that story. That'd be lovely. I think I would.

SPEAKER_03 24:12

Oh, and I think it'd be great. And then it's like, yeah, because then you're like, okay, who do they tell? Who do they not tell you?

SPEAKER_02 24:18

Well, you know, and I I did see a documentary which was really interesting. Yeah. Um and it was about two women. And do you know do you know how they met?

SPEAKER_03 24:26

Oh, how did they meet?

SPEAKER_02 24:27

So you know, in a league of their own? Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. So So there's there is the real ladies. Right. Most of them were lesbians that were in the league, you know, the women's base baseball league.

SPEAKER_00 24:42

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 24:42

And um there's there's a documentary about two of them that met there and they stayed together until the end.

SPEAKER_03 24:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:49

And and kind of their life and how they had to kind of like fight it and you know, and kind of, you know, just be it. But you know, it was easier for people to think that two women could be super friendly like this movie and not be lovers. Right. And nobody would bother them too much. Once in a while, I suppose. You know, it's harder for men. I I think it's just people just just won't let that one go.

SPEAKER_03 25:17

Um, but but quick side note, just so you know, there is the a League of Their Own TV series that actually is that is that story.

SPEAKER_02 25:25

Oh, I heard about that. And they actually did do that. And that is the story. Which which is truthful.

SPEAKER_03 25:30

Yes. Which is Yeah, which is but it's but it is exactly that story. There you go. So anyway, there you go. Just sidebar. So there you go.

SPEAKER_02 25:36

Right. Went down a different road.

SPEAKER_03 25:39

But anyway, but that but but you know, but I just but yeah, it's but it it is one, it is another one where it's like if it was the same situation, same living situation, and it's two guys, and you know, they're they're always around each other, both they were both going out. I instantly think that they would have been um people talking about like, oh, they're you know, gay lovers, they're gay lovers and stuff. And but yeah, it's it is interesting where it's like, yeah, you see the exact same thing, and it's two old ladies, and like, oh, they're good friends.

SPEAKER_02 26:07

Yeah, well, because women can seem to get a pass on that.

SPEAKER_03 26:10

I don't, yeah, and I don't know which is just weird. It's so it's such a it's such a weird thing.

SPEAKER_02 26:16

But yeah, it's just how people think of women and just kind of how they are and how we are, you know, that we are they are so close.

SPEAKER_03 26:24

Yeah, right. They're like you just have a really good friend. Yeah, you just have a really good friend.

SPEAKER_02 26:29

And that's what this story is, where they're just really good friends.

SPEAKER_03 26:32

Right.

SPEAKER_02 26:33

And uh yeah, but so yeah, that would have made it a different thing.

SPEAKER_03 26:36

I would have totally mean so all in all, I mean it's a it's an enjoyable film. I mean, there's there I mean it's the uncomfortableness for me is uh is from the lying, and that's what and that's where it comes from. And it's like it because you know, one lie perpetuates another lie into another lie, and it gets bigger and bigger and bigger, and then it blows up. And it's like inevitably this kind of story, that's how it that's yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:59

So they were being kind of real, like, yeah, it's not gonna last forever.

SPEAKER_03 27:02

Right, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 27:03

But did it help that it was an older lady?

SPEAKER_03 27:06

Or or did that just kind of like so it did it did at first when she was first in when she was first in the group and she's there talking and she's kind of caught off guard, she didn't realize what it was. She even tried to back out. She even tried to say it, yeah. And then good actress, good actress, very good actress, yeah, June Squibb. Yep. So I I could understand it there and have her say it, but it's the next lie.

SPEAKER_02 27:31

That's where it's just like Yeah, and you almost want to jump into her head and it's like, what are you thinking? And that's what it but it was it because she was just lonely, she didn't have anybody to talk to, uh her grandson didn't come over for the dinner, and so he she invited Nina, and then she got you know, she started really liking Nina.

SPEAKER_03 27:51

And I and I think it was definitely that it was her way of reaching out, and you know, she was trying to latch on to somebody, and she was trying to, you know, she didn't know it was gonna be her daughter, her grandson, you know, the support group, somebody. She was reaching out, and then it ended up being Nina that she was that she latched on to. And I think it's a very natural thing of that when you're when you lose somebody that was a friend and really close, that you're not you're not trying to replace them, but you're trying to fill that void of feeling that you have of that closeness. Right. And you're just trying to find somebody to help you.

SPEAKER_02 28:28

And and I think part of it too is that she felt like she was Nina would say was saying that sh you know you know Eleanor was helping her. Right. And that's right. And sometimes when you're grieving, not that you need a lot, but you you really love it if you can give give a little bit and somebody you you can give to somebody else, and that's that's another piece of things. But so the part of grieving. Yes, some people just absolutely that you know helps. Um what was I gonna say? Oh shit. I'm sorry. Sorry, I lost my trade.

SPEAKER_03 28:56

Send you down something.

SPEAKER_02 28:59

But anyway, but um, but yeah. Um and oh, oh, about making amends at the end. Okay. At least I mean I th I that seemed very important that there was amends at the end. It wasn't just like, okay, everybody hates her.

SPEAKER_03 29:12

That's a and yeah, and I and I like that that it all it all came around. I'm I am not a fan of the so when her Nina's dad starts doing his story and he's talking about Eleanor, he does not have her her permission.

SPEAKER_02 29:32

No, but and then he switches it to his.

SPEAKER_03 29:34

And then he switches to his, which I which I get that he made it personally, made it about it about a day.

SPEAKER_02 29:40

He said her last name.

SPEAKER_03 29:41

But he should he he could have just said a lady. Uh-huh. He could have said a situation, he could have just said Eleanor. He could have just said Eleanor, right?

SPEAKER_02 29:50

Eleanor, blah blah blah. But he used her full name.

SPEAKER_03 29:52

He used her full name. And for me, that's outing her, and he does not have her permission to be able to do it. And when they're talking about journalism ethics, and which was what the whole thing was about was what they were really pushing was that, oh, this is the truth. You seek the truth. I could not count how many times he said the word truth there for a little while. Yeah. When it was like they were like, Oh, that's what it's about, it's what it's about. And it's like part of the truth is also having somebody's permission to tell their story.

SPEAKER_02 30:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:19

Because it's not your story, it's their story.

SPEAKER_02 30:21

Right, yeah. I mean, the way he kind of switched it to his was fine, right? But he he did he shouldn't have used her full name.

SPEAKER_03 30:30

Right.

SPEAKER_02 30:30

He could have said Eleanor, he could have given the description of kind of what happened to her and then slide into his story. But I think that was like a mistake in the writing. I think so too. That you just you don't know.

SPEAKER_03 30:44

You don't yeah, you don't automatically slide into that.

SPEAKER_02 30:47

No.

SPEAKER_03 30:47

And yeah, so that that I kind of had I I took issue with. Um, and like I said, if it was strictly just about his his story, his situation, um that's fine. Then it's like perfect. There you go. That's right. Right.

SPEAKER_02 31:03

Yeah. But uh that was my only little piece.

SPEAKER_03 31:07

I thought at first when because I realized that um in the shot, like everybody's watching the performance from their own their own location, to include Eleanor's daughter is watching, and then I was thinking, I'm like, maybe he got the permission from the daughter.

SPEAKER_02 31:22

And I'll you know, they yeah, you know, and which we never could have been on the cutting room floor of stuff. And you know, and the you know, like you said, didn't didn't hold her hand through the whole thing. So if he is all into the truth and ethics, then he got permission from somebody. I would there I'm going with that.

SPEAKER_03 31:40

We're going with that. He got permission, it just from someone we don't we don't see it.

SPEAKER_02 31:44

But it could have been the daughter, and that would have been just I mean, it's fine.

SPEAKER_03 31:47

But then so so here's the thing. Like, so he find so his coworker finds the news article um that was the actual true story of what Eleanor with El Nor and her friend, and then so and then everything else is happening in the synagogue, which is kind of like a it is a public display of what is happening. So I guess I I could go back and say, like, okay, well, he's reporting on what happened at the synagogue, and he's talking about the news article that was already done. Right, which is that information.

SPEAKER_02 32:31

Yeah, so I mean, I guess that that's I could see a workaround for that.

SPEAKER_03 32:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:36

So I guess I guess I can see a workaround. Right, right.

SPEAKER_03 32:40

It was I don't know. Still it should have got permission. Sticking to that. We wanted to see somebody write something. We wanted to see that signature. Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 32:50

You know, hold my hand on that one. That's right, that's anyway.

SPEAKER_03 32:53

But yeah, but overall, I thought it was I thought it was really uh a really sweet story.

SPEAKER_02 32:57

Yeah, I think it's interesting. It's very different, different kind of story.

SPEAKER_03 33:01

I love that the eye mask with the winky is not explained at all. I absolutely love it.

SPEAKER_02 33:08

It's just there.

SPEAKER_03 33:09

It's just there.

SPEAKER_02 33:10

And it's like, yeah, that's just what's happened. Just roll with it. You don't roll with it.

SPEAKER_03 33:16

And I love it that you don't know if it was Nina's, you don't know if it was Eleanor's. Yeah, it's like she's not like leaving, like, oh, and by the way, do you have an eye mask? Yeah, yeah. And then cut to them in the in the and it's like, none of that. No.

SPEAKER_02 33:28

No, she's just in there, just wearing it.

SPEAKER_03 33:30

And it's like, okay. Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 33:34

Yeah, so there's a lot of those that it is a lot of those scenes that you know. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 33:40

Yeah. It's like, all right. Sure.

SPEAKER_02 33:42

Okay. I'm I'm on this ride. Keep going, keep going.

SPEAKER_03 33:46

Um, one um stylistic choice that I really enjoyed was that so they're at Coney Island.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:52

And all the rides are are shut down, whether it's off season or whatever's going on. Which I'm assuming was the case, was that it was it was it was just off season. It was off season. But you they had the sound of like the roller coasters going and the people the music and the music going. Yeah. And I like that that it was a dive into Eleanor's memory of what was there without doing a full flashback, without doing like some have to, some overlay of like the past with the present, kind of like nothing like that. And it's because it's very subtle. And it was like, because at that time where it's like, okay, yeah, you're there. What what would you probably be thinking of? The sounds that you would hear.

SPEAKER_02 34:37

Yeah, it's like absolutely then her face, and you can see it in her eyes and her expression, and that is just like it was just like it was, and that's and that's we said, she says, it was just like it was.

SPEAKER_03 34:48

And I think because it's one of those where it's like w when something happened that long ago, where it's just like that's how your memory is gonna be tying into it. Because you're looking at something, and then yes, you can you're but you're not thinking like, oh, that's where Bill was standing, he was six foot tall, he was wearing the blue shirt, and so no, your memory's not gonna be going like that. Your memory's gonna be tying it all together and like blending it, blending it all, and so and I like that. And I saw I thought so.

SPEAKER_02 35:18

I thought that was very, very, very nice scene.

SPEAKER_03 35:21

Yeah, I thought that was I thought that was really, really well done. Yeah, I thought that like I agree with that. So my my favorite shots were that one, and then when Nina enters into um her mom's studio where she enters in, you hear the light flicker, which was the giveaway for me that I knew was a photography studio. Yeah, and then the yeah, as soon as I heard it, I'm like, that's a photography studio, and then she does the slow, the the slow turnaround. She's not even looking because she's not even looking in the room yet. No, she can't even look into the room, yeah. And so and all just the steady close shots of her face and just the she's so good, and she just gives so much. Oh my gosh. Yeah, she's just soaking in the whole room, yeah, and just taking all in. So um, that was another moment that I really that I really did enjoy as well.

SPEAKER_02 36:06

So yeah, I thought that was that was and it was amazing. I think there's some very powerful uh bits and pieces in this film that um, you know, uh I don't know, they're put together really well, they're either really quiet or they're just they're just letting the actors act.

SPEAKER_03 36:24

Yep, yep.

SPEAKER_02 36:25

You know, that's their job.

SPEAKER_03 36:26

Which is a which is a sign of a good actor turned director. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:31

Where they where that's where I understand that this actor can take care of this scene. I don't need to put a bunch of dialogue on top of it or anything else.

SPEAKER_03 36:38

That's the difference when it's a writer director, because then the right, you know, they think of the words.

SPEAKER_02 36:43

They're thinking the dialogue is what's they wanted to put some narrative in the background or some voiceover or stuff, and yeah, so uh different ways of doing it.

SPEAKER_03 36:51

But no, I thought it was Scarlett Johansson is gonna be the next Rob Reiner director of the actor, turn director, taking that mantle and like we said, it which we didn't say in the beginning, she's not in this film.

SPEAKER_02 37:04

She is not she directed it and she chose not to be good girl. That's the way that I appreciate that so much.

SPEAKER_03 37:11

As I said, she did not go to the Clint Eastwood School of Directing.

SPEAKER_02 37:16

Poor Clint.

SPEAKER_03 37:17

Uh we still love him, but it's like the man's got a million dollars, he's fine. Yeah, he's he's a billionaire. He's good, he's good to go. He's good to go. Yeah, it's fine.

SPEAKER_02 37:25

He's fine. Been around forever. We all know that. We got but no, but no, I really appreciate that first time directing. Yep. She didn't put herself in front of the screen. And I thought that was that was very nice, and I I think it's it's very wise to do that. But hopefully she'll do other, she'll direct other films too. I hope she does. I hope she gets a chance to. No. But this was a very personal story, I mean, very close to her heart, which I think is so important, I think, with a lot of people. If you know, if you you know, if you don't get to direct a lot, man, just yeah, take that story that you really, really love. It's got a project. It's gonna come out on the screen because you really love it. That's it. You really believe in it.

SPEAKER_03 38:06

So should we go ahead and wrap this up? I guess so.

SPEAKER_02 38:10

We've talked a long time.

SPEAKER_03 38:12

We have, but it was it's been good. It's been good. Yeah, it was good. That's right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:17

So see this movie with someone and talk about it.

SPEAKER_03 38:20

We've got to talk about it.

SPEAKER_02 38:21

This is a talk about it movie. There's some films you can watch by yourself. It's fine. Walk over. That's right. This one, yeah. Even when I walked out of the movie theater, I was thinking, oh God, Barry should have come with me. We've got to ask what to do with this. What is this?

SPEAKER_03 38:34

So that's right. That's right. All right. Well, make sure you guys go check out Elnor the Great. Uh, it's available right now on Netflix or wherever else you can find it. And until next time, I'm Barry. And I'm Robin. And we will talk to you guys later.