Eleanor the Great: Reactions for Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut hit social media (2025)

Scarlett Johansson has had a busy week after hosting the final Saturday Night Live of the season, the Jurassic World: Rebirth trailer just dropped online and now reactions are coming in for her directorial debut — Eleanor the Great. The film stars June Squibb as a 90-year-old Floridian woman who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a 19-year-old student in New York City.The movie just screened at Cannes (and got June Quibb a five-minute standing ovation afterwards) and reactions have hit social media.

Matt Neglia had a lot of positive things to say in his reaction, “ELEANOR THE GREAT is as hilarious as it is moving. In her feature directorial debut, Scarlett Johansson brings a gentle, assured touch to this story about grief, connection, and the instinct to retreat inward in the face of loss. June Squibb is a pure joy from start to finish, delivering the finest performance of her career, making audiences laugh out loud one moment and breaking their hearts the next. Though occasionally uneven in its handling of Holocaust-related material, despite its sincerity, it will either elicit some eye-rolls, or land as a delightful crowd-pleaser.”

Jairo Jiménez also raved about the film, calling Johansson’s directorial debut beautiful, “ELEANOR THE GREAT is a moving film that exudes sensitivity, with a script by Tory Kamen that, along with Johansson’s crisp direction, balances pain & hope. June Squibb gives a barbaric performance, looking for a fresh start in NY. A beautiful debut for Scarlett Johansson. #Cannes”

Dancin’ Dan said the film was conventional, but sensitive as he stated, “Scarlett Johansson’s feature debut ELEANOR THE GREAT is a conventional but sensitive portrayal of the many ways grief freezes us in place. June Squibb is at her hilarious and heartbreaking best as a woman whose grief-based white lie has unintended ripple effects. #Cannes2025”

Alex B. called the film tremendously moving in his reaction, “Eleanor the Great – Something special. A tremendously moving, sensitive film starring THE extraordinary June Squibb as a 94 year old woman who moves back to NYC and gets caught up in a little thing (won’t spoil it). Starts out funny, ends up making you cry big time. #Cannes2025”

However, in Owen Gleiberman’s review of the film, he calls it an “unconvincing crowd-pleaser” and an “awards-season wannabe.”

Source: x