THE FILM THAT STOLE A STORY—AND CANNES’ HEART
Scarlett Johansson just pulled off something that would’ve seemed deranged ten years ago—she directed a tender dramedy starring a 94-year-old woman and a Holocaust lie, and the Cannes crowd ate it up like free caviar. Eleanor the Great, her directorial debut, premiered in the Un Certain Regard section, earning a roaring five-minute standing ovation.
Yes, that’s right. The woman known for playing a silent assassin in latex just made a film about grief, forgiveness, and a story that isn’t even the protagonist’s to tell. And somehow, it works.
WHY THIS FILM SHOULDN’T WORK—BUT KINDA DOES
Let’s break this down:
- June Squibb, fresh off her first lead role (at 94), plays Eleanor, who accidentally hijacks her dead friend’s Holocaust survival story.
- There’s an ambitious journalism student. A meddling news anchor. And more ethical gray zones than your aunt’s Facebook feed.
- Oh—and critics? Already split. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 64%, with reviewers torn between “gentle masterpiece” and “Hallmark with Holocaust guilt.”
But here’s the kicker: Despite a premise that sounds like The Farewell meets The Producers, Johansson threads the needle. The result? Something poignant. Maybe even necessary.
THE REAL STORY HIDING IN THE SHADOWS
This isn’t just about Eleanor. It’s about June Squibb, a woman Hollywood ignored for decades, now commanding the screen with the gravitas of Helen Mirren and the comedic timing of Betty White on tequila.
Johansson, basking in Cannes glow, called her “truly inspiring.” She’s right. Squibb isn’t just Eleanor. She is the moment.
And let’s not ignore the industry pattern here:
- In 2014, it was Michael Keaton’s comeback in Birdman.
- In 2020, it was Minari’s Youn Yuh-jung, another senior scene-stealer.
Now it’s Squibb, walking a red carpet that should’ve been hers 30 years ago.
Even more shocking? This isn’t Johansson’s only act this year. She’s also in Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme and fronting Jurassic World Rebirth. That’s three wildly different roles—filmmaker, ensemble darling, and blockbuster queen—in one summer.
It’s giving: Scorsese meets Barbie meets Spielberg’s favorite chaos.
SO… MASTERPIECE OR ETHICAL MESS?
Eleanor the Great may not be perfect. But it’s a rarity: a debut that dares to be soft, messy, even morally uncomfortable. And that five-minute ovation? Not just for Johansson—but for a film brave enough to ask: Who owns a story?
Would you cheer… or cringe? That depends on how you feel about well-meaning lies, old women crashing into Gen Z grief, and a camera that lingers just a second too long on a regretful face.
So now the question is:
Is this Cannes-worthy cinema? Or just a very pretty apology?
