The Before We Forget review reveals why this 2025 romantic drama masterpiece delivers profound insights into the nature of memory, love, and unfinished stories. Juan Pablo Di Pace’s tender direction transforms familiar coming-of-age territory into something genuinely moving and deeply personal.
What happens when you combine the nostalgic ache of first love with the most vulnerable moments of artistic creation? You get cinematic perfection. Before We Forget (2025), co-directed by Juan Pablo Di Pace and Andrés Pepe Estrada, stands as one of the most emotionally resonant queer romance films ever made. This meta-narrative follows Argentine filmmaker Matias as he struggles to complete a movie about his unrequited first love while receiving an unexpected invitation to reconstruct his memories and perhaps find a new ending to his story. While the film operates on familiar coming-of-age territory, it succeeds because it never romanticizes the past—every moment of longing and regret is handled with complete emotional honesty.
Synopsis
Matias (Juan Pablo Di Pace), an Argentine filmmaker in his forties, finds himself struggling to complete a movie inspired by his elusive first love, Alexander (August Wittgenstein), a Swedish friend he met at an international school in the 1990s. Their strong friendship was defined by tenderness and fascination but was cut short when Alexander was suddenly expelled back to his country, leaving young Matias with an unresolved story of undeclared emotions.
Twenty-five years later, Matias decides to reopen Pandora’s box as he embarks on a journey to find the ending to his story by coming face-to-face with Alexander. With the help of his friend Santiago (Santiago Madrussan) and guided by memories both painful and beautiful, Matias must confront not only his past but also his present understanding of love, creativity, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.
Plot & Themes
Before We Forget operates on a beautifully complex premise: sometimes the most important stories are the ones we never finish telling. The film-within-a-film structure serves as both narrative device and metaphor for exploring deeper questions about memory, artistic creation, and the courage required to revisit our most vulnerable moments.
The film’s genius lies in its layered approach to storytelling. When Matias struggles with his unfinished movie, the audience experiences both his current creative block and the emotional weight of his past experiences. These moments work because Di Pace and Estrada understand that memory is never objective—it’s always filtered through the lens of present understanding.
Thematically, the movie celebrates the transformative power of unfinished business while acknowledging the pain that comes with revisiting our younger selves. Matias’s journey isn’t just about finding closure with Alexander—it’s about accepting that some stories remain beautiful precisely because they were never completed.
Cinematography & Visuals
The cinematography captures both the sun-drenched beauty of 1990s Argentina and the more complex emotional landscape of middle-aged reflection. The visual style emphasizes the contrast between the idealized memories of youth and the more nuanced understanding that comes with maturity, creating a dreamlike quality that serves the romantic narrative perfectly.
The film excels in intimate character moments. The flashback sequences showing young Matias and Alexander demonstrate masterful use of light and framing. The camera captures the unspoken tension between the characters just long enough to let the romantic subtext resonate without becoming heavy-handed.
The meta-narrative elements reward careful viewing. During sequences where Matias works on his film, attentive viewers will notice how the boundaries between memory, imagination, and artistic creation become beautifully blurred.
Acting & Characters
Juan Pablo Di Pace delivers a career-defining performance as Matias, bringing both vulnerability and artistic passion to a role that could have easily become self-indulgent. His portrayal of a middle-aged man confronting his past transforms potentially clichéd romantic drama dialogue into emotionally authentic moments of self-discovery.
August Wittgenstein brings enigmatic charm to Alexander, successfully embodying both the idealized memory of first love and the complex reality of the adult he has become. His chemistry with Di Pace feels genuine and lived-in, creating a connection that transcends the decades between their characters’ meetings.
Santiago Madrussan provides excellent support as Santiago, serving as both confidant and voice of reason throughout Matias’s journey. His performance grounds the more ethereal elements of the story in genuine friendship.
Araceli González and Sarah Parish round out the cast with nuanced performances that add depth to the supporting characters without overwhelming the central narrative.
Direction & Screenplay
Juan Pablo Di Pace and Andrés Pepe Estrada’s co-direction maintains perfect emotional pacing throughout the film’s runtime. Coming from their respective backgrounds in performance and filmmaking, the directing duo understood that memory-driven narratives require delicate balance between nostalgia and present-day reality.
The screenplay by Di Pace layers emotional complexity at multiple levels:
- Character development that explores the gap between memory and reality
- Romantic tension that builds through subtext rather than explicit dialogue
- Meta-narrative elements that comment on the nature of storytelling itself
- Cultural elements that ground the story in authentic Argentine and Swedish contexts
The script’s structure follows coming-of-age conventions while subverting them through the lens of middle-aged reflection. This creates familiarity that makes the unexpected emotional revelations land with greater impact.
Sound & Music
The film’s score perfectly balances the nostalgic pull of 1990s Argentina with the more complex emotional landscape of present-day reflection. The music serves the romantic narrative without overwhelming the subtle performances, creating an audio landscape that feels both intimate and cinematically rich.
The use of silence deserves particular recognition. Key emotional moments between Matias and Alexander are allowed to breathe without musical interference, trusting the audience to feel the weight of unspoken words and missed opportunities.
Sound design supports the dual timeline beautifully. The way audio transitions between past and present helps viewers navigate the film’s complex narrative structure while maintaining emotional continuity.
Conclusion & Verdict
Before We Forget succeeds because it treats its deeply personal subject matter with artistic integrity and emotional authenticity. Every element—from performance to cinematography to sound design—works in service of exploring the universal experience of unfinished love stories.
Strengths:
- Juan Pablo Di Pace’s vulnerable, multilayered lead performance
- Sophisticated exploration of memory, creativity, and romantic longing
- Excellent cinematography that serves both nostalgic and contemporary elements
- Strong supporting cast that grounds the story in authentic relationships
Minor Weaknesses:
- Some viewers may find the meta-narrative structure occasionally distracting
- Pacing in the middle section slows slightly during extended reflection sequences
This film remains essential viewing for romantic drama fans and anyone who appreciates expertly crafted queer cinema. Before We Forget works for audiences who enjoyed Call Me by Your Name, The Way He Looks, or Weekend.
Rating: 8.5/10
Directors: Juan Pablo Di Pace, Andrés Pepe Estrada
MPAA Rating: R (for language and some sexual content)
Starring: Juan Pablo Di Pace, Santiago Madrussan, August Wittgenstein, Oscar Morgan, Araceli González
For more LGBTQ+ cinema reviews, check out our analysis of other character-driven romantic dramas. You can also explore the film’s festival success at the Internet Movie Database.
