‘Before We Forget' Review: A Reflective Gay Love Story About an Argentinian Filmmaker Who Yearns for the One Who Got Away
But even without that meta-knowledge, it's in the past where this Argentina-U.S.-Italy co-production comes alive. Theatre kid energy aside, it's endearing and also very believable how quickly the pair become entranced with each other, sharing Monty Python quotes that no one else seems to get or care for. Young Matias and Alexander almost immediately construct their own little world impenetrable to others in the way that 'special' friends so often do (and especially did in the 90s, when admitting there's something more to this kind of connection was much harder to process). Gays of that generation were often forced to read between the lines, and became adept at doing so, yet even when Alexander talks of love or pulls Matias in close, it's still hard for Matias to tell whether this cute, energized, posh boy feels the same way he does. The film itself is also rather coy or even withheld when it comes to actually discussing queerness. No one ever says the word 'gay,' even if it's danced around often. Physically, the film holds back as well, with only one kiss that actually matters, but even then it comes with a caveat, as 'Before We Forget' is less interested in love than yearning — which some might argue is the gayest kind of love, especially on screen. Here, Matias yearns for Alexander, and also for the past they shared 25 years prior.'That dreamy, teenage ache,' as Di Pace described it to IndieWire, is perhaps most evocative of recent efforts by Luca Guadagnino where desire regularly goes unspoken. That outstretched hand especially, the one Matias wishes he'd pushed just a little bit further, brings to mind the ectoplasmic fingers Lee used to stroke the face of Allerton, his unwitting beloved in 'Queer.' 'Challengers' also plays with longing through the erotically charged rally of looks and smirks and gropes shared by the internet's favorite love triangle, on and off court. But it's in 'Call Me By Your Name' where these parallels are most notable.There are echoes in these films' shared Italian setting, of course, even if the school in 'Before We Forget' is not as lush as Elio's summertime retreat. What's most striking, however, is a scene towards the end where Matias's mother (an incredible Araceli González) realizes the true extent of her son's feelings for Alexander. 'As parents, we make a lot of mistakes…' The monologue that ensues, delivered from the cramped front seat of the family car, is a stirring plea for forgiveness from a parent who did what she thought was best. It's staggering in its empathy, an emotional gut punch that comes out of nowhere but ends up becoming the centerpiece of the entire film. Given a wider release, this bruised rush of dialogue could resonate in the same way that Michael Stuhlbarg's speech did in 'Call Me By Your Name.' 'Before We Forget' may not be in quite the same league as Guadagnino's work, but fans of the latter will find plenty to long for here, even if the sluggish modern-day components detract from the compelling, sensitive love story they look back upon. That's not to say they don't serve an important function. In fact, they further enhance said love story in hindsight, but the momentum slows each time we return to the present, culminating in an ending that's, well, not quite perfect. At least not for us. It feels a little too neat or contrived for that, and almost too sudden in its arrival, but it is a 'perfect' ending for Mathias, even if it's not quite the one he was looking for.
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29 Palms Entertainment will release 'Before We Forget' in select theaters on Friday, July 11.
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