Critic Reviews

For a film about grief, it’s a pleasurable viewing experience. One feels like they are on a lazy river when watching it. Daniela Forever carries the spirit of fantasy-romance films of the past, such as Powell and Pressburger’s A Matter of Life and Death. For those dreaming of escape, this film is for you!

Vigalondo has a ton of fun with the premise of two worlds by changing both aspect ratio and fidelity.

Though its darkness may be alienating, there’s something to be said about a love story that isn’t afraid to admit that one of the lovers isn’t the charming dreamboat he appears to be. And to Golding’s credit, there’s no vanity in his portrayal of Nicolas.

Daniela Forever is interesting and provokes discussion, but it stays just on the dream side of greatness.

Because of some questionable decisions, the film's key messages aren’t as effective as they could be.

The philosophical window dressing — would you rather your loved one live a better life if it meant living without you? — doesn’t play to Vigalondo’s strengths.

Metaphysical implications about the nature of reality or the possibility of shared consciousness are left mostly unspoken, as the film spends more time developing a surface-level study of the desire for romantic possession and control.

Despite its flaws, the film still stands out for its bold visual approach and Golding’s performance to offer a thoughtful yet imperfect reflection on what it’s like to really move on from loss.

Vigalondo’s film has a compelling premise, but the story (he also wrote the screenplay) gets away from him, resulting in a film that never quite hits its stride.

As this somewhat overlong film continues on, it becomes increasingly shapeless, finally succumbing to the sort of soupy sentimentality it’s trying to critique.