Daniela Forever

Greetings again from the darkness. Grief is one of the most powerful emotions we humans can experience. The range of effects varies from lethargy to sadness to full-on depression. We've all experienced that feeling of wishing for one more shared moment or the opportunity to say goodbye. Writer-director Nacho Vigalondo (TRUE CRIMES, 2007, COLOSSAL, 2008) is working with an intriguing premise and a strong cast, yet for some reason, this one doesn't pack the punch it seems like it should.

Fittingly, the story opens with a memory. It's one most lovers have recounted - their first meeting or encounter. The two versions rarely match in real life and they don't for Nicolas (Henry Golding, CRAZY RICH ASIANS, 2018) and Daniela (Beatrice Granno, "The White Lotus"). Only this one offers a twist, as Nicolas' memory transitions into a nightmare - the reality awakens him with the memory of Daniela tragically dying in an accident. The current reality for Nicolas is overwhelming grief, a kitchen full of dirty dishes, an apartment with uncharacteristic messiness, very few gigs for his work as a DJ, and minimal contact with his local friends in Madrid.

When his friend Victoria (Nathalie Poza) offers him a possible path out of emotional darkness, Nicolas jumps at the chance, despite the risks involved with the experimental drug that promises to offer some control over lucid dreams. Rather than follow protocol, Nicolas goes rogue and spends his dream time reliving his time with Daniela. Director Vigalondo and cinematographer Jon D Dominguez use a confining aspect ratio and grainy look for Nicolas' reality, while a larger aspect and sharper, more vivid images show his dream state. The frustrations for us viewers occur in dream state as Nicolas comes across as self-centered and manipulative, while we can't quite figure out if the dream version of Daniela has her own thoughts or simply fills the image conjured by her man.

Watching the film leaves us believing a deeper, more insightful movie is buried in there somewhere. In fact, we know that memories and dreams have been used effectively in films such as INCEPTION, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, and GREATEST HITS ... and it certainly fits right in with the tone and style of many "Black Mirror" episodes. Romantic Science Fiction movies are rare, and though there is true love at the core of this one, we are left wishing Nicolas was a bit less harsh, only for the ending to wrap up just a bit too neatly.

Opens in select theaters on July 11 and on digital on July 22.

Those who experience and practice lucid dreaming can certainly appreciate some ideas that the creators of this good movie are suggesting considering. The protagonist Nicolas seems to have some psychological problems after the tragic death of Daniela, the woman who he was interested in. He decides to get some pills as a part of alleged research supposed to help him. Soon he discovers that he can modify perceptions from his dreams but decides to keep the happenings just for himself and lies about them. The lucid dreams enable a dreamer to create what my friend, the famous out of body researcher William Buhlman calls "a thought responsive environment." To reach lucid dreams or any other metaphysical experience by using pills or other means to stimulate your brain seems to be an easy way if you want to try. There are certainly other less problematic ways to do it, like using the technology, lucid dreaming teachers' guidance or even dedicated and consistent self-training. I wrote about some of my lucid experiences in my first book if you would be interested.

Because Nicolas initially received his first experiences in a similar way to a blind chicken finding a grain, he is confused. He needs time to discover the tremendous power of lucid dreaming and thus also his own power to change things in the thought responsive environment. The movie goes much further than what theoretically would be possible, like the fixing of his physical reality. That is why we talk here about a movie, because that is not directly possible. There is however a tremendous power in lucid dreaming helping you understand both the physical and metaphysical reality, their intertwining and understanding of a regular human perception limited by five senses. Nicolas instead becomes quite corrupt, manipulative, lies and that is why his both metaphysical and physical reality crumble. Nice touch, even contradictory is his power of love for Daniela seemingly being the only drive for his decisions and actions. I like the suggestion that lucid dreaming can be as what we now see with A. I. Both are just tools and both good and bad deeds are created by the people behind them, whether the programmers or lucid dreaming subjects. I cannot tell you more about the lesbian aspect in this movie, I do not want to create a spoiler. You must see it for that. I did not like that toward the end the creators seemed to turn Nicolas fully into a psychiatric patient to cover their backs. The movie industry is not perceptive for alternative suggestions like mine. This movie is much more than that.

After the sudden death of his lover Daniela, Nick experiments with a new drug that provides the user with the ability to control their own dreams. Nick not only dreams about Daniela, but strives to reshape the memories of her. This fantasy world that he inhabits clashes with reality, relatives, friends, and Nick's own psyche.

I love the premise of Daniela Forever. It is interesting to think about and explore what we might do if given sway over dreams. Wondering if we could let go of control, deal with changes, and let others be as they are. I wish there was more depth to the dialogue and the scenes. While the setting for the film is Madrid, English is spoken much of the time. The director and main actors were present for this world premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. "I'm going to cry a bit," said Nacho "the film is coming from a dark place." The film's soundtrack features the "coolest band in Spain."