You’re scrolling through a streaming service and you see it. Not one, but three different posters for the same movie. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her. And then the one that usually shows up first, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them.
It’s confusing. Honestly, it’s a bit of a mess if you don't know the backstory.
Back in 2014, this was supposed to be the "next big thing" in experimental storytelling. Director Ned Benson, in a move that felt both incredibly ambitious and slightly insane for a debut, decided to tell the story of a failing marriage from two completely different perspectives. Not just through clever editing, but through two entirely separate feature-length films.
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Movie: What Actually Happened?
Basically, the disappearance of eleanor rigby movie is a trilogy that isn't really a trilogy. It’s a single story about grief—specifically the loss of a child—and how it rips a couple, Conor (James McAvoy) and Eleanor (Jessica Chastain), apart.
The "gimmick," if you want to call it that, was that men and women remember things differently. Benson wrote two scripts. He shot the scenes twice. If you watch Him, the lighting is cooler, the camera is more static, and Conor is the hero of his own sad story. If you watch Her, the colors are warmer, the camera is handheld and frantic, and Eleanor is the one we’re rooted in.
Then came Harvey Weinstein.
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At the time, The Weinstein Company held the keys to the kingdom. After seeing the two-part version at the Toronto International Film Festival, they decided that asking an audience to sit through three-plus hours of depressed New Yorkers was a bad business move. They forced a "spliced" version. That became Them.
Him vs. Her vs. Them: Which One Should You Watch?
If you’re looking for the "true" experience of the disappearance of eleanor rigby movie, most purists will tell you to skip Them entirely. It’s a Frankenstein’s monster of a film.
- Him (96 minutes): Focuses on Conor running his struggling restaurant and trying to find his wife after she vanishes following a suicide attempt. It’s about a man trying to fix something he doesn't understand.
- Her (105 minutes): Follows Eleanor as she moves back in with her parents (played by the incredible Isabelle Huppert and William Hurt) and tries to reclaim her identity. It’s more internal, more painful, and frankly, Jessica Chastain is a powerhouse here.
- Them (123 minutes): The "commercial" cut. It mixes both perspectives into a linear narrative.
The problem with Them is that it kills the nuance. In the separate films, there are scenes that happen in both versions, but the dialogue is slightly different. The clothes are different colors. In Him, Conor might remember himself being more supportive. In Her, Eleanor might remember him being more distant. When you smash those together into one movie, you lose that "unreliable memory" aspect that made the project special.
The Beatles Connection and the "Why"
The name isn't a coincidence. Eleanor Rigby. "All the lonely people."
Ned Benson reportedly grew up on The Beatles because his dad once stole a TV just to watch them on The Ed Sullivan Show. He wanted that mood—that specific, hollowed-out loneliness—to permeate the film.
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It’s a heavy watch. You’ve got a couple dealing with the kind of tragedy that usually ends in divorce court. They aren't always likable. In fact, James McAvoy has said in interviews that his character is "kind of a mess" who doesn't know how to give his wife the space she’s literally begging for.
Behind the Scenes Drama
There’s a funny story from the set in New York. They were trying to shoot a low-key, "natural" scene at the Astor Place subway station. They wanted it to feel like the real city—gritty and anonymous.
Suddenly, a group of Korean tourists spotted McAvoy. They didn't see "Conor the restaurant owner." They saw "Professor X" from X-Men. The entire shoot had to shut down because people started screaming for the leader of the mutants. New York is great for indie films until a blockbuster star shows up.
Jessica Chastain was actually the one who pushed for the dual-perspective approach. Originally, the script was much more focused on the husband. Chastain, who has known Benson since she was a Juilliard grad, basically told him she wanted to know where the woman went when she disappeared. So, he wrote a whole other movie for her.
Does the Experiment Work?
Critically, the disappearance of eleanor rigby movie is a "your mileage may vary" situation. On Rotten Tomatoes, Them sits at about a 64%. It’s fine. It’s a solid drama.
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But the "Him" and "Her" versions? That’s where the real meat is. If you watch them back-to-back, you start to notice the tiny, heartbreaking ways people misread each other. A shirt that's white in his memory is grey in hers. A conversation that felt like a breakthrough to him felt like a dead end to her.
It’s a reminder that there is no "objective" truth in a relationship. There’s only what you felt and what they felt.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Watch
If you're planning to dive into this, don't just pick the first one you see. Here is how to actually experience this film without getting a headache:
- Commit to the long haul. If you want the full impact, watch Him and Her as a double feature. Avoid Them if you have the time; it’s the "CliffNotes" version.
- Order matters. Most fans suggest watching Him first, then Her. Starting with Conor’s confusion makes Eleanor’s eventual reveal much more powerful.
- Watch the background. Pay attention to the colors. The director used different palettes for each character to represent their mental state—blues and greys for Conor, warmer tones for Eleanor.
- Check your streaming platform. Many sites only host Them. You might have to hunt for the individual versions on VOD or physical media (the Blu-ray usually contains all three).
The disappearance of eleanor rigby movie isn't just a film; it's a puzzle about how we survive grief. It’s not always pretty, but it’s one of the most honest looks at a breaking heart you’ll ever find on screen.
Check your local library or digital storefront for the "Him/Her" double feature to see the version the director actually wanted you to see.