Daniela Forever is a new film releasing in theaters July 11 before it hits streaming July 22 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Written & directed by Nacho Vigalondo, the film stars Henry Golding, Beatrice Grannò, Aura Garrido, Rubén Ochandiano, and Nathalie Poza. Grieving the loss of his girlfriend Daniela (Grannò), Nicolás (Golding) is consumed by sorrow. He sees a glimmer of hope when he’s offered a chance to participate in a groundbreaking sleep therapy that simulates reality. But as dreams and memory blur, he must confront what healing really means—and whether he’s ready to let go.

Daniela Forever immediately went on my radar when I saw where Henry Golding was the lead. To pick such an interesting indie immediately told me he was interested in playing unique characters. With it being released early next month, I’m thrilled that I got the chance to see it early, because I get the opportunity to tell everyone they need to see the film when it comes out.

The film runs almost two hours long. Even though I knew the story, that still felt like a big ask. Let me tell you that’s probably where the film faults the most. The film is sort of longer than it needs to be, which may require others to be more patient. I say this all in the beginning of my review, because I could easily see this being a movie people may not totally get into in the beginning, but there is still charming, fresh, and original about it all.

Told over voiceover from a certain perspective, we get this cinematic look at who these individuals are and why we are seeing this story. Then, the film changes course. Everything you just saw was just a memory from Henry Golding. When he wakes up in the real world, the cinematic look changes into this VHS-film type look. This is where I think it may lose some viewers.

Going into a different look for the film further explores Golding’s character’s mindset. His world is seen as mundane & dull without the love of his life. When he enters the dream, or memory, he sees this through a cinematic lens where the picture looks perfect, chasing something he can never fully capture ever again.

The film is presented through a lot of themes that may confuse viewers by the end. Again, I could see this turning people away. The film manages to utilize some really cool effects to show how Golding’s character grows. The ending even confused me to a certain extent, but at least it has been sticking with me long enough to make an impact. With a streaming release date announced, I can only hope this manages to reach a large enough audience that makes it a foundation impact. In a certain respect, the film reminds me a lot of the more underrated indies I used to find on Netflix in high school. Good times.

At the heart of the film, lies Henry Golding & Beatrice Grannò’s performances that makes this an engaging watch through its rather inflated runtime. The talents fully immerse themselves into each scene, making me fully buy what they are selling. There is real chemistry that lies between the talented actor & actress.

In today’s day and age, I think it’s easy to feel more engaged with the visual spectacle through what Hollywood provides with its big budget movies, but also feel the lack of story & character. This film has that visual flair while maintaining story & character. Writer & director Nacho Vigalondo creates something personal while creating something visionary simultaneously. When I crave films told on a large scale while creating meaningful relatability  with characters, this is what I mean.

Overall, Daniela Forever is an interesting, bold, and visionary take on grief. Its cinematography choices feel daring & new while staying true to its themes. The story & runtime, however, can get a little muddled at times. In the end, this is one of those films that I haven’t seen before. I see what works against the film, but what works for it makes this entertaining.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 (Pretty Good)