Memory is a tricky thing, often morphing over time to add extra layers to our pasts, adapting them to fit a narrative we’ve imagined for them as we get older. Some events take on a hazy, nostalgic sheen while others inspire regret or sadness, sometimes out of proportion to their real importance. Despite this, looking back can help us to make sense of ourselves in the present as we wistfully and fondly recall the people, places, and times that made us truly happy. It is this feeling that drives Juan Pablo Di Pace and Andrés Pepe Estrada’s gently romantic coming-of-age story Before We Forget, and which will inspire viewers to recall some of their own formative experiences.

Inspired by real events in his life, Di Pace here plays Matias, an Argentinean director working on a film about his time in an international school in the 1990s, where he fell in love for the first time. We alternate between the present, where he is struggling to finish editing the movie, and the past, where his younger self (Santiago Madrussan) first meets Alexander (Oscar Morgan). The two quickly strike up a close friendship, relating to each other in ways that no one else ever has, but the relationship remains platonic. Matias can tell he has fallen in love with Alexander but, despite fleeting moments and comments that indicate the feeling might be reciprocal, he remains too afraid to act on his feelings. Ultimately, they drift apart, and Matias is left to ponder what might have been, until decades later when Alexander’s sister invites him to her wedding and the pair reunite.

While there are touches of romance scattered throughout Before We Forget, this is not that type of movie. Instead, Di Pace and Estrada are more interested in exploring the nature of memory, the melancholy that sometimes comes with the passage of time, the heightened emotions of youth, and the power of friendship and family. By playing a character based on himself, Di Pace adds an extra meta layer to the already creative story structure and lends it further emotional heft, as both he and his alter ego excavate their pasts looking for a sense of closure that neither is guaranteed.

There are a handful of times in which the dialog feels clunky, but it doesn’t take away from the story’s power, especially due to the moving performances from the talented cast. Every relationship is fully believable and the past and present versions of each character are impeccably cast. Madrussan and Morgan are given the most screen time and their chemistry, whether platonic or romantic, is heartachingly genuine, as is the former’s sometimes painful acceptance of himself. Araceli González’s portrayal of Matias’ mother Roma is another standout, especially during a moving third act speech.

Previously working as an actor and an editor, Di Pace and Estrada respectively have crafted a remarkably accomplished first feature. They do still have some room to grow as filmmakers, but clearly they picked up quite a lot about the craft in their prior roles. This is a lovingly made and beautifully shot film that will resonate deeply with anyone who has struggled with self-acceptance at any age and even more so with those who know the glorious sting of unrequited (or is it?) love. Moving, memorable, bittersweet, heartfelt, and well worth seeking out. ★★★★

not rated. contains some strong language and sexual material.

★★★★★ = Excellent | ★★★★ = Very Good | ★★★ = Good | ★★ = Fair | ★ = Poor

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