The 2024 American comedy-drama I Love You Forever presents a fresh take on romantic comedy clichés. Sofia Black-D’Elia plays Mackenzie, a young woman yearning for a relationship that offers her peace and security.
She eventually meets Finn, a television reporter who wins her over with charm and attention. Their connection begins on a positive note, but things gradually take a darker path.
Directed and written by Cazzie David and Elisa Kalani, the film critically questions familiar ideas about love, commitment, and what it means to truly connect with someone.
Between love and law school, Mackenzie loses parts of herself (Photo: I Love You Forever/Entertainment 360, Hantz Motion Pictures, and MXN Entertainment)I Love You Forever (2024) Storyline and Summary
This film centres around Mackenzie, a law student in her twenties, who becomes romantically involved with Finn, a television journalist. As the plot progresses, it begins to touch on difficult themes such as emotional manipulation and abuse within intimate relationships.
Events in ‘I Love You Forever’ Featuring Sofia Black-D’Elia
Mackenzie, portrayed by Sofia Black-D’Elia, is a young law student who struggles in her relationship with Jake (Raymond Cham Jr.). Jake carries himself as though he’s doing Mackenzie a favour by dating her. He remains emotionally shut off and unwilling to acknowledge her needs.
Caught between academic pressure and her unhealthy romance, Mackenzie even forgets her close friend Ally’s (Cazzie David) birthday. Though she picks up a cake without knowing Ally is lactose intolerant, Ally and Lucas (Jon Rudnitsky) forgive her because they understand the emotional stress she’s dealing with. They recognise that she longs to feel appreciated and truly loved.
Later that evening, the group decides to continue the birthday celebrations at a club. Mackenzie agrees to join them. At the club, she crosses paths with Finn (Ray Nicholson), who immediately leaves a strong impression on her.
They begin texting, and Finn asks her out on a date. She shares her fear of public attention, prompting Finn to rent out an entire quiet restaurant for their evening together. Unlike Jake, Finn seems attentive and considerate.
Eventually, during one of his live broadcasts, Finn even professes his love for her, leading Mackenzie to believe she has finally found the ideal relationship she had always desired.
How Mackenzie and Finn’s Relationship Develops
At first, Finn comes across as caring and deeply invested in Mackenzie’s happiness. However, this perception changes with time. He begins demanding her attention at inappropriate times—like when she’s in class—and becomes upset if she doesn’t respond quickly.
When she prioritises her studies, he takes it personally and lashes out. One instance sees him show up at her apartment, confronting her angrily over her lack of attention toward him.
Instead of confronting his toxic behaviour, Mackenzie ends up blaming herself and attempts to fix things just to keep the relationship intact. She doesn’t want to lose him, so she ends up pacifying his ego.
Finn then opens up about painful memories from his childhood, discussing feelings of abandonment and recurring panic attacks. Moved by his vulnerability, Mackenzie promises to remain devoted to him.
Their bond appears to stabilise briefly, but soon, Finn’s possessive behaviour returns. At one point, he even forces her to abandon a friend’s birthday gathering. His unrealistic demands begin to wear down her mental strength.
Explanation of How “I Love You Forever” Concludes
Throughout the film, Finn manages to maintain a facade of being affectionate and kind. Still, his true behaviour around Mackenzie tells a very different story. He uses his fears about losing her as a way to guilt-trip her.
He speaks poorly about himself, ensuring she stays out of sympathy. Her emotional wellbeing begins to deteriorate, as she’s always anticipating when he might lash out next. Ally notices this and encourages Mackenzie to reflect on what kind of relationship she’s really in.
Ally suggests that Mackenzie clings to Finn because, unlike Jake, he makes her feel useful or valued. The moment of clarity comes when Mackenzie hits Finn during an intense confrontation.
Yet he manages to re-enter her life, acting sweet and agreeable again. But the cycle repeats, and he becomes angry over another trivial issue. Mackenzie now sees through his excuses and decides this time she’s done with him permanently.
How Things End for Mackenzie and Finn
Mackenzie eventually ends things with Finn and takes a ride back home, feeling lighter. But that feeling doesn’t last. She feels alone and tries reconnecting with Jake, only to be reminded of the few moments Finn treated her well. In the last scenes, she’s seen curled up in bed, feeling emotionally drained.
When attention turns into control, romance takes a dark turn (Photo: I Love You Forever/Entertainment 360, Hantz Motion Pictures, and MXN Entertainment)Later, Finn appears on television, now wearing a pendant with the name “Jenny” on it. This angers Mackenzie, as she realises Finn has already moved on and possibly never cared as deeply as he claimed. It becomes clear to her that he had used her vulnerabilities just to maintain control. The story ends without the two getting back together.
Review of “I Love You Forever” (2024)
On the surface, I Love You Forever appears to be a light-hearted romantic comedy filled with humorous moments. That assumption isn’t far-fetched, especially since Cazzie David and Jon Rudnitsky deliver great comedic performances.
Their scenes come across as natural, sometimes even improvised, and help balance the film’s darker aspects. Though their roles are not central, their interactions add welcome humour to a film that is, at its core, about emotional dependency and toxic patterns.
The story mainly revolves around Mackenzie, who finds herself unsatisfied with an emotionally distant partner. Then comes Finn—a man who checks all the boxes on the surface but hides deeper problems.
While he starts off appearing ideal, his use of personal trauma as an excuse for control becomes more apparent. Through this dynamic, the story questions popular beliefs about what makes a partner seem desirable.
Mackenzie’s arc reflects how difficult it is to separate fantasy from reality when one is desperate for love. The film doesn’t present her struggle with judgement, but instead, traces her emotional confusion with care.
As Mackenzie, Sofia Black-D’Elia portrays vulnerability with depth. Ray Nicholson, playing Finn, channels a strong emotional intensity, combining charm with menace in a way that keeps viewers engaged.
