I Love You Forever (Cazzie David and Elisa Kalani) was written by two millennials and it shows. These creators grew up with the epic romantic comedies of the '90s and then entered the real-life Tinder-dominated dating market and were sorely disappointed. Then, they made a movie about it.
Yes, this is a lot of my own speculation, but as a fellow millennial, the high expectations coupled with the disillusionment of modern dating are highly relatable. David and Kalani capture the longing, fear, disappointment, and hope that this demographic holds in their quest for love.
The crux of the story is the relationship between Mackenzie (Sofia Black-D'Elia) and Finn (Ray Nicholson). When they meet, Mackenzie is sleeping with a man who has no real interest in her and treats her poorly. Finn is the polar opposite. He is intentional, takes her to nice dinners, is emotionally open, and wants to be with her forever. Yes, he’s also hot and rich. This is what Mackenzie has been waiting for! Their relationship quickly progresses. Everything is perfect.
Slowly but surely, things change. Finn becomes needy, and angry, always pulling Mackenzie away from her friends Ally (Cazzie David) and Lucas (Jon Rudnitsky). She starts doing poorly in law school. She knows she is struggling, but she’s not sure how to change things. And she loves Finn, so she doesn’t want to leave.
Black-D'Elia captures the essence of the stereotypical unconfident woman who hasn’t yet discovered her inner strength. David and Rudnitsky, likewise, fit their roles well as supportive, enthusiastic, and at times, self-absorbed best friends.
However, the best acting in this movie is Nicholson’s. As Finn, he’s dreamy and handsome but believably scary. His character changes drastically from beginning to end but the transition doesn’t feel cheap or forced. Nicholson’s development of Finn’s character throughout the film is believably well-done. And while he does come off as nearly perfect in the very beginning, we also subtly pick up on the sense that something is off. As we watch Mackenzie dismiss the red flags, we do so too. We understand how she gets into the mess she’s in.
That’s why this film is so good. It feels real and relatable. Ally and Lucas could be our best friends. We could be the ones falling for Finn. When Mackenzie overshares her insecurities with Finn, sure, we’re embarrassed for her, but we also get it.
The '90s gave us some of the best romantic comedies ever made. The children who grew up watching those movies have grown up and are making their own movies, reflecting what they see in the world. I Love You Forever is best categorized as an anti-romcom, and it captures a piece of the culture for young people today, including the hardships of searching for love. It feels validating to watch a movie like this.
It’s also a mere 90 minutes long. Any movie that can tell a compelling story in 90 minutes is a winner in my book.
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