Looks Deceive in “I Love You Forever”

I Love You Forever (Cazzie David/Elisa Kalani, 2024) 3½ out of 5 stars

The initial stages of any relationship can be an intoxicating experience. If you meet someone you truly connect with, it feels overwhelming, especially if you aren’t used to affection. However, that infatuation may blind you to the other person’s flaws. This is where writers/directors Cazzie David and Elisa Kalani place you in their debut feature I Love You Forever. It illustrates how easily someone can burrow their way into your life until you become dependent on them.

Our protagonist, Mackenzie (Sofia Black D’Elia, Hulu’s Single Drunk Female), is a law student stuck in a dead-end arrangement with her nonchalant sex buddy. Her best friends—Lucas (Jon Rudnitsky, The Film Nation) and Ally (co-director David)—have had similar luck in the dating scene, lamenting the lack of real connections. After a string of indifferent partners, Mackenzie has grown to accept people’s crumbs like they’re caviar.

That is, until she meets Finn (Ray Nicholson, Smile 2), a handsome TV journalist who sweeps her off her feet. The two are the perfect lovestruck couple at first, but Finn’s behavior changes as months go by. He slowly grows needier, more controlling, and emotionally abusive. As the film progresses, Mackenzie begins to question what she’s gotten herself into and if she can escape.

A key factor in how I Love You Forever handles abuse is how David and Kalani ease you into Mackenzie’s predicament. The first act plays out like a classic rom-com: protagonists in their twenties, a comedic friend group, a meet cute at a bar, etc. Occasionally, the cinematography looks a little too much like a short film, but this never distracts from the story. What matters is that the viewer lets their guard down the way Mackenzie would, which makes the rest of the film much more alarming.

Nicholson plays Finn like he’s constantly plotting or adapting. Every interaction he has with Mackenzie feels strategic, using just enough charm to lure her in before constantly degrading her. D’Elia does an excellent job of showing Mackenzie’s slow progression into dependency. She is so used to being ignored that Finn’s initial adoration appears godlike. Eventually, Mackenzie begins to crave his attention, which makes it harder for her to see him as the predator he is.

The film can be frustrating to watch because of how absolutely real it feels, almost too real at times. I have known some manipulative people in my life, and while they were never as bad as Finn, they used similar tactics. They get you hooked on emotionally supporting them and treat small mistakes as massive betrayals. I Love You Forever is a strong debut that may be too raw for some viewers, but it’s an excellent story that needs to be told; at the very least, as a warning.

George W. Campbell

George W. Campbell is a director/screenwriter/editor from Bowie, Maryland, whose films focus on themes of family and personal relationships. As a Nicaraguan-American filmmaker, he aims to highlight specific parts of his culture and personal experiences (songs, dances, foods, and language).